altadenablog

A gorgeous shot ...

... of the ATT Satellite Earth Station on Isaac Garcia's blog.  And who took this great shot?  Our ubiquitous science correspondent Bill Westphal, rapidly becoming the Forrest Gump of Altadena.

Low-flying 707? Travolta at large?

Our ex-father-in-law was one of those guys who was convinced that the black helicopters were buzzing him around his home near the Rose Bowl.  We've also heard of  the black triangles and the drones ... but a commercial jet?  This is new!  Chris Considine tells us about his experience:

Listen...I don't know if you had personally seen or were aware of a couple wild flyovers here in Altadena of a large white 4 engine commercial airliner?...it was Wednesday about 9:10am when I heard this incredibly loud aircraft over my house on Sonoma. I went out to see what I just described flying northwest about 1500 feet over our neighborhoods...

Then about 1/2 later coming out of RiteAid on Hill, I heard the same sound and there it was again circling away at 1500' above north Pasadena...

I called the Sheriff first and the deputy knew nothing about it. I then called the FAA office and got JJ who was most interested in hearing about this. He knew nothing and checked with radar etc a couple of times during our conversation. Since the plane was heading away, I couldn't see any distinct markings (as it had almost none), and we talked about the possibility of it being a forest service flight or training run, but it had no orange or red markings of any kind and there were NO fires anywhere at all.

I then called a neighbor on Boston and it turns out they had been scared (mother and young daughter) by a low flyover of a jet with the exact same description on Sunday afternoon. I called the FAA back and told them of this other sighting and they are very interested for someone to video tape it or photograph this airliner flying over Altadena. I watch the skies all the time and can identify most aircraft by sound before sight. Certainly we have are share of awesome military aircraft from both the Rose Bowl and Dodger Stadium flying low over us for excitement. But this was the very first time I've ever seen a large (most likely a 4 engine 707) airliner flying over us...Maybe others saw it, or markings that would help identify it...

FAA direct number (found it in the phone book) that gets immediate results is: 310 725 3300

Thought this might make in interesting piece on the blog for responses...maybe it was Travolta in his private 707 practicing landings...maybe not.

Haven't had this kind of excitement since the Hercules transport flew overhead last fall ...

I see a big moon a'risin ...

A note from our eye on the sky, Bill Westphal:

The Summer Solstice occurs this Friday, June 20 at 4:59 p.m. At this moment, The Sun reaches its most Northern point in its apparent path around the Earth. This marks the beginning of Summer in the Northern Hemisphere and Winter in the Southern hemisphere.

Also, Wednesday June 18 is the Full Moon.  If you're watching the Moon rise in the East at 8:36 PM you may be lucky enough to witness the Solstice Moon Illusion.  Read an interesting article about it here from NASA:

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/16jun_moonillusion.htm?list1093392

 

JPL's Mars programs get $463 million boost

A House subcommittee has passed a recommendation for funding several planetary space exploration programs, including JPL's Mars exploration programs:

"We were able to obtain $75 million more than the President requested in the budget, and this will help keep the Mars scientific laboratory on schedule and, I hope, give the pathway to launch the next Mars vehicle in 2013," said [Congressman Adam] Schiff, a member of the subcommittee of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies bill.

Full details here.

Mars-a-Dena landing

Congrats to our neighbors at Jet Propulsion Laboratory  who successfully bulls-eyed the Phoenix lander on the arctic plains of Mars Sunday.

The photo was captured by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. This is the first time that a spacecraft has imaged the final descent of another spacecraft onto a planetary body.  You can see the lander, its parachute, and the lines that attach the two on the brightened photo, with a background of the Martian surface.

(hat tip: Chris Considine)

ISS flyby tonight

Check the skies in the west southwest starting at 9:10 PM tonight -- supposed to be a superbright flyby of the International Space Station heading our way.  More info right here.

Hat tip: Chris Considine

Spectacular space flybys tonight & tomorrow

After a spectacular flyby last month, the International Space Station will be soaring over Altadena again tonight.

The Jules Verne (the robotic space truck that will supply the ISS) will appear in the south-southwest at approximately 8:01 p.m., followed by the ISS at about 8:05. 

(The Endeavor space shuttle, which at last report has unhooked from ISS, should also be part of this display)

The spacecraft will reappear tomorrow night, at approximately 8:23 for the Jules Verne and 8:28 for the ISS.

Go here for an updated list of satellite flybys.

Lunar eclipse tonight

A rare total lunar eclipse will occur tonight (cloud cover willing).  Schedule is:

5:29pm - Approximate time of moonrise (look slightly north of east).
5:41pm - Approximate time of sunset.
5:43pm - Moon enters the Earth's dark shadow ... the visible eclipse begins!
7:01pm - Total eclipse begins (note the Moon's color and brightness).
7:25pm - Middle of the eclipse (Moon will be at its darkest).
7:51pm - Total eclipse ends.
9:09pm - Moon leaves the Earth's dark shadow ... the eclipse ends.

The next one won't be until 2010!

 

Space spectacular tonight

Hope you managed to catch the overflight of the International Space Station and Atlantis a few minutes ago.  It was bright and spectacular -- Spawn 2 was very excited and is now drawing pictures.  Did any space fans get snaps to share?  Send 'em here!

Space -- the final frontier

Altadenablog always wanted to grow up to be an astronaut, and back in his aerospace days was fortunate enough to actually meet some.  That's why we're so excited about Bill Westphal's latest missive:

The Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS-122) is currently docked with the International Space Station (ISS). The position and timing of their orbits will provide two excellent viewing opportunities for us here in Altadena over the next few days.

Visible passes of the ISS happen when the timing of the orbit is just right and light from the setting (or rising) Sun is reflected off of the body and solar panels of the ISS. It appears like a star that is slowly moving across the sky until it disappears into the Earths Shadow. On really good passes, the ISS can be so bright, that it looks like an airplane with its landing lights on.

Saturday February 16

At approximately 6:41 pm (or shortly thereafter because of the hills) they will appear just above the horizon in the Northwest. They will be overhead at approximately 6:44 pm and will disappear into the Earths shadow around 6:46 pm in the Southeast.

Monday February 18

The ISS will appear at approximately 5:47 pm (or shortly thereafter because of the hills) It will appear just above the horizon in the Northwest. It will be directly overhead at approximately 5:50 pm and should be visible all the way to the Southeast horizon where it will disappear around 5:53 pm. This could be a very interesting pass because the Shuttle is scheduled (as of this writing) to undock from the ISS Sunday morning. Depending on its orbit and distance, we should be able to see it fly by near the ISS. More on this later. 

I hope the weather cooperates and we have clear skies.

A total eclipse of the heart

... a little late for Valentine's Day, but we've got a lunar eclipse to look forward to next Wednesday, Feb. 20.

Glenn Miller, telescope operator emeritus at Griffith Observatory, reports:

Dear Friends,

On Wednesday, Feb. 20th, there will be a TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE as the
full Moon is rising (shortly after sunset) in California. Here is a
short timeline of events:

5:29pm - Approximate time of moonrise (look slightly north of east).
5:41pm - Approximate time of sunset.
5:43pm - Moon enters the Earth's dark shadow ... the visible eclipse
begins!
7:01pm - Total eclipse begins (note the Moon's color and brightness).
7:25pm - Middle of the eclipse (Moon will be at its darkest).
7:51pm - Total eclipse ends.
9:09pm - Moon leaves the Earth's dark shadow ... the eclipse ends.

Binoculars will be helpful, but not required. Try not to miss this
event, because the next total lunar eclipse in California will not
occur until December 20th, 2010.

Astronomically Yours,
---Glenn

Christmas whooshes

High wind warning for Christmas eve and Christmas Day:  from the National Weather Service:

..HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 8 PM THIS EVENING [Dec. 24] TO 6 PM PST TUESDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LOS ANGELES/OXNARD HAS ISSUED A HIGH WIND WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 8 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 PM PST TUESDAY. THE HIGH WIND WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 30 TO 40 MPH THIS EVENING...WITH GUSTS OVER 60 MPH POSSIBLE BELOW PASSES AND CANYONS. WINDS WILL SLOWLY DIMINISH LATE TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

A HIGH WIND WARNING MEANS A HAZARDOUS HIGH WIND EVENT IS EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS OF AT LEAST 40 MPH OR GUSTS OF 58 MPH OR MORE CAN LEAD TO PROPERTY DAMAGE.

Wednesday launch scrubbed

For those of you keeping track, last Wednesday's rocket launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base was cancelled due to high winds.  Don't think the rain's going to make it easier to launch any time soon!