Dr. Sky

Get set for one of nature’s best celestial events…a total lunar eclipse.

This eclipse in best seen in the western hemisphere and will be the last one till, 2010.

Lunar eclipses are safe to view with the naked eye and are seen over a much larger region than a total solar eclipse.

Get set to view and photograph one of the best natural sights in the sky.

Here are some links to getting the most out of this event.
http://www.mreclipse.com/LEdata/TLE2008Feb/TLE2008Feb.html
http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/LEmono/TLE2008Feb21/TLE2008Feb21.html

A great Christopher Columbus story about a total lunar eclipse:
http://www.space.com/spacewatch/top10_eclipse_041026-8.html
http://www.space.com/spacewatch/navigation_china_020318.html
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/space/2008-02-08-columbus-lunar-eclips_N.htm

How to photograph a lunar eclipse:
http://www.mreclipse.com/LEphoto/LEphoto.html

Space:
STS 122 Headed To The ISS:

Space shuttle Atlantis is now at the ISS and will deploy the new ESA module known as “Columbus”. This is a vital link in the completion of the ISS, slated for sometime in 2010.

Here is a volume of information on the crew, mission and schedule of activity for the 12 day mission.
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts122/

Here is a link to the details of the mission of STS-122:
http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/203212main_sts122_presskit2.pdf

The Columbus module is a major component of the ISS. Here is a link to the details of this ESA module:
http://www.esa.int/esaHS/ESAFRG0VMOC_iss_0.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbus_(ISS_module)

What space vehicles will replace the Shuttle?:
http://www.aerospaceweb.org/aircraft/research/x33/
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/new_shuttle_030202.html

Space:
US Spy Satellite In Trouble:

A key military satellite, known as USA-193 or NROL-21 was plagued by problems after its launch in December of 2006.

The satellite has never been working properly and has been in orbital decay, due to it never reaching the proper altitude in space. On board power problems have also been a key problem with this mission.

The satellite has been “dead” for all practical purposes!

The Pentagon has recently confirmed the eventual re entry of USA 193/NROL-21 and have also mentioned that this craft may NOT totally burn up on re entry!

This secret mission is brought to us by the NRO (National Reconnaissance Office), one of some 16 government agencies which are in the intelligence collection business.

Best estimates are that USA 193/NROL-21 will re enter the atmosphere, as early as the end of February 2008, but NOT later than March!

Latest breaking news!!!

The US Navy may “shoot down” this satellite, so as to lessen the debris field and potential capture of the sensitive/secret electronic packages on board USA 193/NROL-21.

Here are a series of links on what we know and what we can expect!

What are the details on the launch of USA 193/NROL-21:
http://www.aero.org/news/newsitems/NROL-2112-14-06.html

Video of a Delta II launch:
http://it.truveo.com/United-Launch-Alliance-Delta-2-rocket-carrying-a/id/402924056

What is the NRO?:
http://www.nro.gov/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Reconnaissance_Office

History of Spy Satellites:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reconnaissance_satellite
http://science.howstuffworks.com/question529.htm

Can I see this satellite in the night sky?:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/05/science/space/05spotters.html
http://www.heavens-above.com/

A look back at SKYLAB:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skylab
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,920502,00.html

US Navy has plans to “shoot down” USA 193/NROL-21:
http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/air_space/4249458.html
http://www.globalsecuritPhotoy.org/space/systems/sm3-deploy.htm

Navy cruiser firing SM-3 missile:
http://aycu19.webshots.com/image/45858/2003422767309284638_rs.jpg

Has a satellite ever been destroyed in orbit?:
http://www.space.com/news/070202_china_spacedebris.html
http://video.aol.com/video-detail/chinas-anti-satellite-test/1932622705
http://www.globalsecurity.org/space/library/news/2007/space-070123-rferl01.htm

Aviation:
United States ASAT Missile:

Concern over the re entry of US 193/NROL-21 satellite continues!

Another option in the removal of this wayward satellite, would be the use of a US anti-satellite weapons platform.

The ASAT, or anti satellite weapons systems, launch a selected missile from a ship, ground based or aircraft and “shoot down” a suspect object in orbit.

These weapons systems are highly classified, but here is more of what we do know:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-satellite_weapon
http://www.svengrahn.pp.se/histind/ASAT/F15ASAT.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASM-135_ASAT

Weather:
The New Solar Cycle/Space Weather Concerns:

Astronomy:
Asteroid 2007 WD5 May Impact Mars:

A small asteroid, know as 2007 WD5, may be headed for the surface of Mars.

The small 164ft in diameter object, was discovered by astronomers in Arizona, on November 20th.

The discovery of this Amor (or Mars crossing asteroid) was made at the Catalina Sky Survey, in Tucson, Arizona.

What is interesting, is the fact that this object had a 1 in 75 chance of hitting the surface of Mars on January 30th 2008. That has been changed to a 1 in “25” chance of hitting Mars!

The research team of Steve Larson and Andrea Boatinni, discovered this object.

We will continue to watch this developing story and report the latest, as it happens.

Here is the latest from news sources:

Astronomers funded by NASA are monitoring the trajectory of an asteroid estimated to be 164-feet wide that is expected to cross Mars' orbital path early next year. Observations provided by the astronomers and analyzed by NASA's Near-Earth Object Office at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., indicate the object may pass within 30,000 miles of Mars at about 6 a.m. EST on Jan. 30, 2008.

"Right now asteroid 2007 WD5 is about half-way between the Earth and Mars and closing the distance at a speed of about 27,900 miles per hour," said Don Yeomans, manager of the Near Earth Object Office at JPL. "Over the next five weeks, we hope to gather more information from observatories so we can further refine the asteroid's trajectory."

Here are some additional vital links to help understand this story better:

http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2007%20WD5&orb=1
http://www.lpl.arizona.edu/css/
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/news/7067527.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrea_Boattini
http://www.mporzio.astro.it/~planet/boattini.html
http://www.otastro.org/Mars2005/
http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/
http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/risk/