alactic Observer John J. McCarthy Observatory G Volume 11, No. 7/8 July/August 2018 Clouds’ Illusions What’s behind all that stormy weather on Jupiter? Find out on page 29 The John J. McCarthy Observatory Galactic Observer New Milford High School Editorial Committee 388 Danbury Road Managing Editor New Milford, CT 06776 Bill Cloutier Phone/Voice: (860) 210-4117 Production & Design Phone/Fax: (860) 354-1595 www.mccarthyobservatory.org Allan Ostergren Website Development JJMO Staff Marc Polansky Technical Support It is through their efforts that the McCarthy Observatory Bob Lambert has established itself as a significant educational and recreational resource within the western Connecticut Dr. Parker Moreland community. Steve Barone Jim Johnstone Colin Campbell Carly KleinStern Dennis Cartolano Bob Lambert Route Mike Chiarella Roger Moore Jeff Chodak Parker Moreland, PhD Bill Cloutier Allan Ostergren Doug Delisle Marc Polansky Cecilia Detrich Joe Privitera Dirk Feather Monty Robson Randy Fender Don Ross Louise Gagnon Gene Schilling John Gebauer Katie Shusdock Elaine Green Paul Woodell Tina Hartzell Amy Ziffer In This Issue "OUT THE WINDOW ON YOUR LEFT" ............................... 4 SPACE SHUTTLE MEMORIAL ............................................ 17 APOLLO 12 LANDING SITE ............................................... 4 PLANNING YOUR VISIT ................................................... 17 MARS AT OPPOSITION ...................................................... 5 SUMMER ACTIVITIES ...................................................... 18 DEADLY WEATHER ......................................................... 5 JUPITER AND ITS MOONS ................................................. 19 LUNAR RELAY ............................................................... 8 SATURN - JEWEL OF THE SUMMER SKY ............................. 20 JUNO - MISSION EXTENDED .............................................. 8 SUNRISE AND SUNSET ...................................................... 20 JOURNEY TO THE SUN ...................................................... 9 ASTRONOMICAL AND HISTORICAL EVENTS ......................... 21 MARTIAN ORGANICS ...................................................... 10 COMMONLY USED TERMS ............................................... 28 MOMA ...................................................................... 10 REFERENCES ON DISTANCES ............................................ 29 MAINTAINING ALTITUDE ................................................. 11 INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION/IRIDIUM SATELLITES .......... 29 MARTIAN HELICOPTER ................................................... 11 FIRST WHEELED VEHICLE ON MOON ............................... 12 SPACE SHUTTLE LEGACY ................................................ 13 ENTERPRISE .................................................................. 15 DISCOVERY ................................................................... 15 ENDEAVOUR .................................................................. 15 ATLANTIS ..................................................................... 16 LOST ORBITERS ............................................................ 17 2 July-Aug 2018 JJMO http://www.mccarthyobservatory.org July and August Calendar and Space Exploration Almanac Opacity of Martian Sky during the 2007 Dust Storm Opportunity's location is marked by a white circle Image credit: NASA/JPL/MSSS Living on Mars can be challenging enough, but when your essential systems are dependent upon abundant sunshine for power, dust storms can curtail operations and even incapacitate. NASA's Mars Exploration Rover, Opportunity, has been exploring the Red Planet since landing on Meridiani Planum in January 2004. The intrepid, robotic geologist receives its power from two multi-panel solar arrays. The panels can generate up to 900 watt-hours of energy per Martian day (rating when the rover first landed and the panels were pristine). The electricity generated by the panels is used to conduct surface operations and recharge its two batteries. Now, more than 14 Earth-years later, the dust-coated panels are not nearly as efficient, particularly when the Sun is dimmed by dust in the atmosphere and in the winter when the Sun is low in the sky. In the summer of 2007, Opportunity was caught in a global dust storm. For almost a month, dust blocked 99 percent of the available sunlight. On July 18th, output from the rover's solar panels dropped to its lowest point (128 watt-hours). The mission team, having already suspended all surface operations, were forced to curtail communications with Opportunity so as to maintain battery reserves for critical systems, such as equipment heaters. Fortunately, the storm abated and Opportunity emerged to roll again across the Martian plains. The summer of 2018 appears to be equally, if not more, challenging with emerging dust storms as Mars nears its closest approach to the Earth and Sun and the planet warms. http://www.mccarthyobservatory.org JJMO July-Aug 2018 • 3 "Out the Window passed through a low cloud layer, lunar surface, setting up experiments on Your Left" caused major electrical disturbances and collecting samples. The samples T'S BEEN MORE than 45 in the Command Module, triggering returned by Apollo 12 (75 pounds or years since we left the last foot alarms and knocking systems offline. 34 kilograms of 45 rocks, regolith Iprint on the dusty lunar Fortunately, the dischargesMare Serenitatis did not and cores) were different than those surface. Sadly, as a nation founded adversely affect the Saturn V booster returned by Apollo 11. Almost all of on exploration and the conquest of which stayed the course. Except for the Apollo 12 samples were basalts new frontiers, we appear to have a few non-critical systems, there was that formed 3.1 to 3.3 billion years lost our will to lead as a space-far- no permanent damage and Apollo 12 ago, approximately 500 million ing nation. But, what if the aver- was able to set course for the Moon. years later than the Apollo 11 age citizen had the means to visit Commander Pete Conrad and lu- samples. The Apollo 12 basalts our only natural satellite; what nar module pilot Bean guided the formed at depths at least 100 to 150 would they see out the window of Intrepid to a pinpoint landing on miles (150 to 250 km) below the Oceanus Procellarum (the Ocean of surface. Storms), at the edge of Surveyor The regolith samples included, Crater and only 600 feet from the what is likely, ejecta from the Surveyor III spacecraft, which had impact that created Copernicus landed two years earlier. Conrad and crater to the north. The ejecta dated Bean spent a total of almost 8 hours, the impact to 800 million years in two excursions, exploring the ago. The most unusual rock Apollo 12 Landing Site their spacecraft as they entered or- bit around the Moon? This column may provide some thoughts to pon- der when planning your visit (if only in your imagination). Alan Bean, Apollo 12 lunar module pilot and Skylab commander, passed away on May 26th at the age of 86, after a short illness. Following his retirement from NASA in 1981, Bean devoted his life to recording his experiences as an astronaut and with the space program through art. His paintings depict lunar exploration scenes and events, both real and imaged. He worked with his former comrades to capture the human spirit. Bean's unique style included bits of moon dust and fragments of spacecraft materials blended into the pigments. Apollo 12 was launched on November 14, 1969. Lightning dis- charges at 36.5 seconds after liftoff, and again at 52 seconds as the rocket 4 July-Aug 2018 JJMO http://www.mccarthyobservatory.org returned was known as KREEP, an acronym for rocks rich in the elements potassium (K), rare earth elements (REE), and phosphorus (P). The formation of KREEP is associated with the crystallization of the Moon's primal, global magma ocean over 4 billion years ago. Mars at Opposition The Earth will come between Mars and the Sun on July 27th JPL's Solar System Simulator (EDT), an arrangement called http://space.jpl.nasa.gov/ Opposition. On that day, Mars will rise as the Sun sets and will be at its highest after midnight. At clos- Mars can be found in the the view will change little if you est approach, Mars will be approxi- constellation Capricornus during observe at the same time each night. mately 35.9 million miles (57.8 the month of July, just to the east To see the entire planet, you will need km) from Earth (the distance at of Saturn. The planet will briefly to observe at different times of the Opposition can vary from 34.6 enter Sagittarius near the end night or over a relatively long period million miles to 63 million miles of August before returning to of time (a month or more). On nights due to Mars' highly elliptical orbit). Capricornus. Mars will be relatively of good seeing (steady atmospheric The planet will appear larger than bright with an apparent magnitude conditions), the bright polar ice caps in its previous 2016 Opposition of -2.8 (equaling Jupiter in should be visible. In July, it is late being almost 13 million miles brilliance). For telescopic observers spring in the southern hemisphere closer, but for northern hemisphere attempting to view the planet's with the south pole tipped towards observers, several degrees lower in surface features, Martian weather Earth. sky. Mars has the greatest reports can be found on the Malin Surface markings are difficult to variation in Opposition distances Space Science Systems website