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Dawn of Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) and Mercury
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Mercury transit of the Sun
| Title |
Mercury transit of the Sun |
| Completed |
2003-05-07 |
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Mercury transit of the Sun
| Title |
Mercury transit of the Sun |
| Completed |
2003-05-07 |
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Mercury transit of the Sun
| Title |
Mercury transit of the Sun |
| Completed |
2003-05-07 |
|
Mercury transit of the Sun
| Title |
Mercury transit of the Sun |
| Completed |
2003-05-07 |
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Mercury transit of the Sun
| Title |
Mercury transit of the Sun |
| Completed |
2003-05-07 |
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Sky and Planets
| Title |
Sky and Planets |
| Explanation |
On February 10th, an evocative [ http://www.jps.net/ssumner/ ] evening sky above Rocklin, California, USA inspired astrophotographer Steve Sumner to record this remarkable sight - five planets and the Moon. Near its first quarter phase, the bright Moon [ http://lunar.arc.nasa.gov/ ] was intentionally overexposed but Saturn [ http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/cassini/ ], Jupiter [ http://galileo.jpl.nasa.gov/ ], Mars [ http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/ ], and Mercury [ http://sd-www.jhuapl.edu/MESSENGER/ ] (and, of course, planet Earth's [ http://www.earth.nasa.gov/ ] horizon) are all clearly visible in the deepening twilight. Notably absent in this grouping of naked-eye planets is Venus [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap990903.html ] which is still putting in an early appearance as the morning star [ http://ispec.scibernet.com/station/morn_star.html ]. This month, Mercury has joined Venus in the dawn twilight while Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars still shine brightly in the western sky at nightfall [ http://www.skypub.com/sights/sights.shtml ] making another gorgeous close grouping with the crescent Moon [ http://www.inconstantmoon.com/ ]. |
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Moon And Venus Share The Sky
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Moon And Venus Share The Sky |
| Explanation |
July is drawing to a close and in the past few days, some early morning risers [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap990714.html ] could have looked east and seen a crescent Moon sharing the pre-dawn [ http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast25jul_1m.htm ] skies with planets Jupiter and Saturn. Planet Mercury will also pass about 2 degrees from the thin waning crescent Moon [ http://aa.usno.navy.mil/AA/faq/docs/moon_phases.html ] just before sunrise near the eastern horizon on Saturday, July 29. And finally, on the evening of July 31st, Venus will take its turn near the crescent Moon [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap991108.html ]. But this time it will be a day-old crescent Moon near the western horizon, shortly after sunset [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap000507.html ]. In fact [ http://pages.prodigy.net/pam.orman/JoeAlmanac2000.html ], on July 31 (August 1 Universal Time) the Moon will occult [ http://www.skypub.com/sights/occultations/lunar/ 0001lunarocc.html ] (pass in front of) Venus for northwestern observers [ http://www.skypub.com/sights/images2000/ 0008moonvenus_big.jpg ] in North America. This telescopic picture taken on 31 December 1997, shows a lovely young crescent Moon and brilliant crescent Venus in [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap990903.html ] the early evening sky near Bursa, Turkey [ http://www.mersina.com/Turkey/Marmara/Bursa/index.html ]. And what about the Sun? On Sunday, July 30, a partial eclipse of the Sun [ http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/extra/ PSE2000Jul31.html ] will be visible from some locations [ http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/OH/ PSE2000Jul.gif ] in North America. |
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3D Mercury Transit
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3D Mercury Transit |
| Explanation |
Mercury is now [ http://www.astronomy.com/ASY/CS/forums/314872/ ShowPost.aspx ] visible shortly before dawn, the brightest "star" just above the eastern horizon. But almost two weeks ago Mercury [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap061114.html ] actually crossed the face of the Sun for the second time in the 21st century. Viewed with red/blue glasses [ http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/Help/VendorList.html ], this stereo anaglyph combines space-based images of the Sun and innermost planet in a just-for-fun 3D [ http://www.sungazer.net/3dtransit.html ] presentation of the Mercury transit [ http://www.transitofvenus.org/mercury.htm ]. The solar disk image is from Hinode [ http://solarb.msfc.nasa.gov/index.html ]. (sounds like "hee-no-day", means sunrise). A sun-staring observatory, Hinode was launched from Uchinoura Space Center and viewed the transit [ http://solar-b.nao.ac.jp/news_e/20061109_e.shtml ] from Earth orbit. Superimposed on Mercury's dark silhouette is a detailed image [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap011124.html ] of the planet's rugged surface based on data from the Mariner 10 [ http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/tmp/1973-085A.html ] probe that flew by Mercury in 1974 and 1975. |
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Three Planets in Dawn Skies
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Three Planets in Dawn Skies |
| Explanation |
Three children of the Sun [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap061116.html ] rise in the east in this peaceful dawn skyview recorded December 7th near Bolu, Turkey. Inner planet Mercury [ http://kids.nineplanets.org/mercury.htm ], fresh from its second transit [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap061114.html ] of the 21st century, stands highest in the bright sky at the top right. Gas giant Jupiter [ http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/ jupiterfact.html ] lies below the cloud bank near picture center. A newsworthy Mars [ http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mars/news/ mgs-20061206.html ] is also visible, right of Jupiter and just above the dark cloud bank. On Sunday, these planets will form a much tighter grouping [ http://skytonight.com/observing/ataglance ] before sunrise [ http://niteskys.com/mercury_mars_jupiter_120806.html ], while in the coming days the western sky after sunset will be ruled by brilliant planet Venus [ http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Venus_Express/ ], also known as the evening star. |
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Comet McNaught Heads for the
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| Title |
Comet McNaught Heads for the Sun |
| Explanation |
Early morning risers with a clear and unobstructed eastern horizon can enjoy the sight of Comet McNaught (C/2006 P1) in dawn skies over the next few days. Discovered in August by R. H. McNaught (Siding Spring Survey [ http://www.mso.anu.edu.au/~rmn/ ]) the comet has grown bright enough to see with the unaided eye but will soon be lost in the glare of the Sun. Still, by January 11 sun-staring spacecraft SOHO should be able to offer web-based views [ http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/data/realtime/c3/ 512/ ] as the comet heads toward [ http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/db_shm?name=c/2006+P1 ] a perihelion [ http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/ link=/physical_science/physics/mechanics/orbit/ perihelion_aphelion.html&edu=high ] passage inside the orbit of Mercury. This image captures [ http://www.astrostudio.at/Astrofotos/astrofotos.php?k_id=71 ] the new naked-eye comet [ http://www.nasa.gov/worldbook/comet_worldbook.html ] at about 2nd magnitude [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apparent_magnitude ] in twilight skies near sunset on January 3rd. After rounding the Sun [ http://www.shadowandsubstance.com/ ] and emerging from the solar glare later this month, Comet McNaught [ http://www.aerith.net/comet/catalog/2006P1/2006P1.html ] could be even brighter. |
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Shepard Flies Freedom 7
| Title |
Shepard Flies Freedom 7 |
| Explanation |
Forty years ago today (May 5, 1961 [ http://www.thespaceplace.com/history/mercury/ mercury03.html ]), at the dawn of the space age [ http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/sputnik/ index.html ], NASA controllers "lit the candle" and sent Alan Shepard arcing into space atop a Redstone rocket [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap980404.html ]. The picture shows the pressure-suited Shepard before launch in his cramped space capsule [ http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/diagrams/ mercury.html ] dubbed "Freedom 7" [ http://images.jsc.nasa.gov/images/pao/MR3/ 10073523.htm ]. Broadcast live to a global television audience, the flight of Freedom 7 [ http://www.nasm.edu/galleries/attm/nojs/rm.ey.f7.1.html ] - the first space flight by an American - followed less than a month after the first human venture into space by Soviet Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap010414.html ]. Freedom 7's historic flight [ http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/40thmerc7/ intro.htm ] was suborbital, lasting only about 15 minutes, but during it Shepard demonstrated manual control of his capsule. Naval aviator [ http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/40thmerc7/ shepard.htm ] Shepard was chosen as one of the original seven Mercury Program [ http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-4201/ toc.htm ] astronauts. He considered this first flight [ http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-4201/ch11-4.htm ] the greatest challenge and actively sought the assignment. Shepard's career as an astronaut spanned a remarkable period in human achievement and in 1971 he walked on the moon [ http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/alsj/a14/ a14.crew.html ] as commander of the Apollo 14 mission. A true pioneer and intrepid explorer, Alan Shepard died in 1998 [ http://www.nasa.gov/shepard.html ] at age 74. |
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Alan B. Shepard Jr. 1923-199
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| Title |
Alan B. Shepard Jr. 1923-1998 |
| Explanation |
On another Friday (May 5, 1961), at the dawn of the space age [ http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/sputnik/index.html ], NASA controllers "lit the candle" and sent Alan B. Shepard Jr. arcing into space atop a Redstone rocket [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap980404.html ]. The picture shows the pressure-suited Shepard before the launch in his cramped space capsule [ http://images.jsc.nasa.gov/images/pao/MERC_OV/10073402.htm ] dubbed "Freedom 7" [ http://images.jsc.nasa.gov/images/pao/MR3/10073523.htm ]. This historic flight [ http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/history/mercury/mr-3/mr-3.html ] - the first spaceflight by an American - made Shepard a national hero [ http://www.nasm.edu/GALLERIES/GAL114/SpaceRace/ ]. Born in East Derry, New Hampshire on November 18, 1923, Shepard graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1944 and went on to train and serve as a Naval Aviator. Chosen as one of the original seven Mercury Program [ http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-4201/toc.htm ] astronauts, he considered this first flight [ http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-4201/ch11-4.htm ] the greatest challenge and actively sought the assignment. Shepard's accomplishments in his career as an astronaut spanned a remarkable period in human achievement and in 1972 he walked on the moon [ http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/alsj/ ] as commander of the Apollo 14 mission. A true pioneer and intrepid explorer, Alan Shepard died Tuesday [ http://www.nasa.gov/shepard.html ] at age 74 after a lengthy illness. |
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