Encounter Comet Lulin and Internationa Space Station 2/18/2009

Here is of what the sky will look like in the morning of 2/18/2009 showing the locations of (1) Comet Lulin (at about mag 6 need small telescope or binoculars) red spot slightly to the left of center)
(2) ISS (Space Station) mag 0.07 middle- left of Saturn (mag 0.61)
(3) Saturn (mag 0.61) near constellation Leo
Taken with Starry Night Pro
Location from : Kansas City, KS (your view may vary a bit)
Time: around 6:18 Central Time

Houston we have a problem but the space shuttle is coming to the rescue

Houston we have a problem but the space shuttle is coming to the rescue.

The space shuttle is going up Saturday 5/31. It has a precious cargo to take up to the International Space Station (ISS) - parts for the Russian made toilet, which is not working well. There is only 1 toilet in the ISS and everyone has to use it.

The main toilet onboard the International Space Station is broken. "[It] works for solid waste disposal, but requires additional steps for liquid waste," says Kirk Shireman, deputy ISS program manager at NASA. The procedure for liquid waste "takes two crew members and 10 minutes of maintenance after three flushes."

"It is very inconvenient at this time because it requires a lot of manual intervention," Shireman said.
Fortunately, space shuttle Discovery is set to launch this Saturday with spare parts needed to restore normal operations:.

PS cost of new repair $19 million- and you thought your plumber was expensive!

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sh...ain/index.html
more about toilets FYI
http://www.theplumber.com/closet.html

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Watch the ISS (International Space Station ) from where you are

I first saw the ISS (International Space Station ) in the skies south of Kansas City a few years ago. Since then the ISS has expanded and grown even brighter as it reflects more light. Sometimes because of the angle of the light, the ISS can be near the brightness of Venus -2.
Look at this link when the ISS is making a pass over your town/city.

http://www.spaceweather.com/flybys/?PHPSESSID=hrlnp3bkbt3hfnl67cj6vcl3e5

International Space Station, Endeavor space shuttle and a red surprise photo

I've seen the ISS and Space Shuttle recently. But in 2004, I took an unexpected photo that I nicknamed the "Red Surprise." Comet Ikeya- Zhang was a fine comet in 2004 that I photographed and saw with my naked eye too. I took some pictures with one of the robotic telescope I use and waited for the next days pic. I was the comet in my picture on the right. Since I took it with a red filter there was not much of its tail showing. But what were thought 3 streaks diagonally on the left? I had no clue. So I used my Starry Night Pro software to find out. Finding that date and time, I found part of what I was looking for. A bright stripe with a lesser bright stripe next to it, was the International Space Station (ISS) and the Endeavor space shuttle. But what was the other one. Fiddling with the timer and going forward and backwards on this pass, I found it. A Soviet spacecraft happened to be passing right by in tandem. Fittingly I called it my "Red Surprise". While I've been to Moscow, Space City and had many surprises along the way, this a Soviet Union delight in another celestial and different way!

Hurrican Ivan from the Space Station

Spectacular pictures of the hurricane taken from the ISS (International Space Station). Shows the swirling vortex type clouds around the center of the hurricane called the "eye".

If not 1/13/2008, use the archives.

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html

(E.O.A.S.blog1) http://eoas-dreric1kansas.blogspot.com/
1/13/2008
Students will learn more about meteorlogical phenomenon and events by observing from above the Earth (International Space Station / Space Shuttle / Spacecraft

Catch the International Space Station (ISS) 4th-6th

Check out information to view where the for International Space Station (ISS) will be viewable in your area as well as help to look for constellations, comets (several in the sky that can be viewed naked eye (1) or other telescopically.

Goto Heavenabove website link.

http://www.heavens-above.com/

The giant International Space Station (ISS) is flying over many US towns and cities during the evening hours of Dec. 3rd-6th. Now I know there is a link there in the ISS section to see a map of where the ISS will move in the sky (blue- white light) and that is helpful.

One activity that I invented for my summer students is to :
(1) Look at and make a print out of what the evening sky looks at on a present date.
(2) Then change the date parameters to their birthdate and if they can remember their time, and do a similar printout.
(3) Have the students compare/ contrast the constellations, planets , stars that are visible.

12/3/07 (E.O.A.S.)1 Students wilI compare/ contrast the constellations, planets , stars that are visible.
12/3/07 (E.O.A.S.)2 Students wilI learn to find and identify man manned spacecraft moving in the sky.

see both the Atlantis orbiter and the ISS flying across the sky

If you have clear skies, there will be a few opportunities to see both the Atlantis orbiter and the ISS flying across the sky from many locations.
See the two largest orbiting space vehicles in the sky at the same time.

http://news.aol.com/topnews/articles/_a/atlantis-space-shuttle-mission/20070608190509990001?ncid=NWS00010000000001

This "applet" uses up-to-the-minute data from Mission Control to project the path the spacecraft will make across the sky.
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/

Use your telescope for close up looks

Let me know if you see it.