The moon, like the planets and other moons, orbits in an ellipse. When it is close to the earth in that ellipse it is called perigee. When the perigee and a full moon coincide, the moon will be 14% larger than it normally appears. This interesting occurrence happens about every 18 years.
The perigee in March 1993 was four hours off of the full moon, pretty close. However, this year's will be only one hour from perfection. So get your best cameras ready!
Even though NASA chose the title of "Super Full Moon", I didn't like the connotation.
Their write up is here: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2011/16mar_supermoon/
NASA ScienceCast video
Showing posts with label nasa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nasa. Show all posts
Friday, March 18, 2011
Friday, June 8, 2007
So Long Paris, Don’t Bother Writing; I wish I had the NASA channel.
Americans used to care about the space program. No more.
I remember when a Space Shuttle launch was a huge all-day media event. Our school would postpone regular class and wheel in a TV, and we’d watch it all day glued to the screen. From a camera far they would show the shuttle pointed skyward mounted of the booster rockets attached to the giant scaffolding, and then they would pan over and show the countdown clock. It really ramped up the tension. The reporters would occupy the pre-launch time by talking to NASA representatives about what will happen and what they were going to experiment on when they reached space. The giant robotic arm that placed the Hubble telescope in orbit was the coolest thing I’d ever seen. The astronauts were national heroes to all children and adults. We all went with them in our imaginations.
Today Atlantis is ready for launch at 6:38 CT and the weather looks good. This mission, they will continue the construction of the ISS (i.e. the International Space Station). It is an orbiting space station that shows that cooperation between nations is possible and reinvests hope in the future of the Human race in these very troubled times.
During this eleven day mission, they will attach a new section to the station and a new pair of solar panels. And this launch is especially important because in February a hail storm ruined the foam insulation on the external fuel tank and dented it like a barn roof in Kansas. Engineers and specialist have been working since then to repair the damage. From pre-launch to touch down and everything in between is an AMAZING feat of technical ability. They are doing things never done before, and all involved deserve our full respect and attention. Reaching out and colonizing space is our ONLY hope for the ultimate survival of the Human race, and since landing on the moon and then Skylab, ISS is the biggest step we’ve taken to that ultimate goal.
When I was a kid, I wanted to be an astronaut; kids today want to be rich tarts.
However today, I can’t find any coverage on the major TV news networks because Paris Hilton has been ordered back to jail to server the full original 45-day sentence after she was allowed by the sheriff to skip out with some mental disability after doing four days and do the rest of her time at her house. Ouch; that must be a horrible place to soak in a tub and drink booze.
She’s being sent to county jail people; it’s not prison like Martha Stewart. And it’s (twin Towers Correctional Center) even a separate jail for rich people, politicians, celebrities, and cops gone bad. It is separate from the regular criminals doing their time because they couldn’t afford high price lawyers.
On Fox News there is live video feed from helicopters and rooftops showing the police car escorts, at least three, and Geraldo Rivera is commentating. How much money is LA County spending on this? And you know it’s frigging news if Geraldo is there. You’ll notice that he is not covering the War on Terror anymore since he gave away military plans on live TV.
Similar to the word ‘Diva’, the word ‘News’ used to mean something. No longer.
My information about the launch was gleaned from the CNN story:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/space/06/08/space.shuttle.ap/index.html
My so long Paris don’t bother writing information was boringly gathered from Fox News TV channel…oh and Paris cried for her mommy. Sweet.
So that no lovers of Fox News get mad, after more than 3 hours of live Paris coverage, they are now (3:29CT) talking about the launch of Atlantis, however they called Buzz Aldrin (former NASA Astronaut, Retired USAF Colonel, and Ph.D.) and are asking his opinion on the shuttle launch being overshadowed by Paris Hilton. They took time out of this national treasure of a man to ask his opinion on a rich tart. Shameful.
After the commercial break…they returned to Paris coverage. Sigh.
I remember when a Space Shuttle launch was a huge all-day media event. Our school would postpone regular class and wheel in a TV, and we’d watch it all day glued to the screen. From a camera far they would show the shuttle pointed skyward mounted of the booster rockets attached to the giant scaffolding, and then they would pan over and show the countdown clock. It really ramped up the tension. The reporters would occupy the pre-launch time by talking to NASA representatives about what will happen and what they were going to experiment on when they reached space. The giant robotic arm that placed the Hubble telescope in orbit was the coolest thing I’d ever seen. The astronauts were national heroes to all children and adults. We all went with them in our imaginations.
Today Atlantis is ready for launch at 6:38 CT and the weather looks good. This mission, they will continue the construction of the ISS (i.e. the International Space Station). It is an orbiting space station that shows that cooperation between nations is possible and reinvests hope in the future of the Human race in these very troubled times.
During this eleven day mission, they will attach a new section to the station and a new pair of solar panels. And this launch is especially important because in February a hail storm ruined the foam insulation on the external fuel tank and dented it like a barn roof in Kansas. Engineers and specialist have been working since then to repair the damage. From pre-launch to touch down and everything in between is an AMAZING feat of technical ability. They are doing things never done before, and all involved deserve our full respect and attention. Reaching out and colonizing space is our ONLY hope for the ultimate survival of the Human race, and since landing on the moon and then Skylab, ISS is the biggest step we’ve taken to that ultimate goal.
When I was a kid, I wanted to be an astronaut; kids today want to be rich tarts.
However today, I can’t find any coverage on the major TV news networks because Paris Hilton has been ordered back to jail to server the full original 45-day sentence after she was allowed by the sheriff to skip out with some mental disability after doing four days and do the rest of her time at her house. Ouch; that must be a horrible place to soak in a tub and drink booze.
She’s being sent to county jail people; it’s not prison like Martha Stewart. And it’s (twin Towers Correctional Center) even a separate jail for rich people, politicians, celebrities, and cops gone bad. It is separate from the regular criminals doing their time because they couldn’t afford high price lawyers.
On Fox News there is live video feed from helicopters and rooftops showing the police car escorts, at least three, and Geraldo Rivera is commentating. How much money is LA County spending on this? And you know it’s frigging news if Geraldo is there. You’ll notice that he is not covering the War on Terror anymore since he gave away military plans on live TV.
Similar to the word ‘Diva’, the word ‘News’ used to mean something. No longer.
My information about the launch was gleaned from the CNN story:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/space/06/08/space.shuttle.ap/index.html
My so long Paris don’t bother writing information was boringly gathered from Fox News TV channel…oh and Paris cried for her mommy. Sweet.
So that no lovers of Fox News get mad, after more than 3 hours of live Paris coverage, they are now (3:29CT) talking about the launch of Atlantis, however they called Buzz Aldrin (former NASA Astronaut, Retired USAF Colonel, and Ph.D.) and are asking his opinion on the shuttle launch being overshadowed by Paris Hilton. They took time out of this national treasure of a man to ask his opinion on a rich tart. Shameful.
After the commercial break…they returned to Paris coverage. Sigh.
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