# AstroBookmarkCategories

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Sites specializing in general Deepsky Object observing


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Sites specializing in imaging Deepsky Objects using CCD equipment


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Sites specializing in imaging Deepsky Objects using astrophotography equipment


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Sites containing astronomy software for Windows 95/98/NT


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Sites containing astronomy software for Macintosh computers


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Sites containing astronomy software for Unix computers


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Sites containing object databases that are downloadable


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Sites containing information on the planets


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Sites containing information on the Earth


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Sites containing information on the moon


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Sites containing information about comets


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Sites containing information about asteroids


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Sites containing information about the sun


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Sites containing information about the hubble space telescope


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Sites of major astronomical events (ie. TSP, Astrofest, etc)


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Sites related to college astronomy departments


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Sites relating to astronomy clubs and associations


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Sites relating to things striking the earth


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Sites containing information on Calculations


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Sites containing software that runs in your browser


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Sites relating to stars, black holes, pulsars, etc


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Sites relating to the search for extraterrestrial life


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Sites containing astronomy related source code for programmers


# AstroBookmarks

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Photos showing Total Solar Eclipse - Moon's Shadows


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Photos showing the Moon and Venus and the Aurora Borealis


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The American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO) is the largest organization of variable star observers worldwide. You can find out more about us and the projects we sponsor and the data we make available to astronomers around the world, by following the links below


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Home page of the Allentown School District Planetarium.


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Association of Lunar & Planetary Observers


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Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh's home page


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Amateur Astronomy in Princeton, New Jersey


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Sky & Telescope's Astronomical Directory


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Amateur Observers' Society of New York, Inc.


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ATM Journal - Proceedings of the Amateur Telescope Maker's Association


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The ATM Page - Resources for Amateur Telescope Making


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The American Meteor Society, Ltd., founded in 1911, is a non-profit organization dedicated to meteor observation and research. We are interested mainly in visual, CCD camera, and radio observations of meteor activity, analysis of this data, and publication of results. Our major effort is in coordinating amateur-professional activities among observers who are too widely scattered to permit the usual close working relationships found in local groups. Anyone interested in observing meteors and advancing meteor science is welcome to become an affiliate of the AMS.


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The Anglo-Australian Observatory 
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For more than twenty years the Anglo-Australian Observatory has provided world-class research facilities for both the Australian and British astronomical communities. The Observatory operates two optical telescopes at Siding Spring Observatory, the 3.9- metre Anglo-Australian Telescope and the 1.2-metre UK Schmidt Telescope, located outside the small town of Coonabarabran in northwest NSW, Australia, and adjacent to the magnificent Warrumbungle National Park . There is also a laboratory in the Sydney suburb of Epping. The Observatory was established at Siding Spring to take advantage of the extremely dark skies, and to provide the opportunity for astronomers to observe the southern sky where some of the most exciting objects are found, including the centre of our own Milky Way Galaxy and our neighbours the Magellanic Clouds. 

The Observatory employs research scientists, computer programmers, electronics engineers, optical and mechanical engineers as well as technical and administrative staff. There are approximately sixty staff members; about half are located at Siding Spring Observatory, the other half at Epping in Sydney. 

The AAO has been a world leader in astronomical research and instrumentation since it was opened in 1971. One of the reasons for this success is the vision and expertise of the Observatory's scientific and engineering staff, who have constantly upgraded both telescopes by incorporating the latest technological developments into instrument design. In fact, staff at the AAO are considered world leaders in many areas of astronomical instrumentation. AAO staff members also collaborate with scientists and engineers from other astronomical institutions in Australian and overseas, on a range of scientific and instrumentation projects. This close cooperation between reseachers and engineers is a powerful contibutor to the imaginative instrumentation for which the Observatory is known. 

The most significant example of this capability is the new Two-Degree Facility (2dF) for the AAT. This new facility, which has been under development at the Observatory for the last seven years, incorporates several innovative, high precision technologies and is by far the largest and most complex instrument of its type to be built anywhere in the world. It is a significant achievement for scientists and engineers at the AAO, who have pioneered many of the technologies, and is a credit to the scientific enterprise of the Australian and British astronomical communities. In late 1997, 2dF began collecting and analysing on a large scale. Over five nights, almost 4000 galaxies and 1000 quasars were observed and analysed. This is the first time so many objects have been observed and analysed in such a short time, anywhere in the world. Previously it would have taken years for the amount of data to be collected and analysed. 

Observing time on the AAO's telescopes is divided equally between the Australian and British astronomical communities. Most observers come from universities or research institutions in these two countries, but many projects involve collaboration with astronomers from other countries.


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The Antique Telescope Society is an international organization of colleagues interested in antique astronomical telescopes, books, binoculars, and related materials. The ATS seeks to promote the interest of its membership in astronomical history and discovery, the history of optics, and in the preservation and use of astronomical instruments through stewardship and education. The ATS publishes a quarterly journal and holds annual meetings, generally at the site of one or more astronomical instruments of significant historical and scientific interest. ATS members provide assistance in the restoration of instruments, host educational shows and displays, work to preserve historical data, and assist and guide collectors.


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Apache Point Observatory
2001 Apache Point Road
P.O. Box 59, Sunspot, NM 88349-0059
Latitude 32° 46' 49.30" N, Longitude 105° 49' 13.50" W, Elevation 2788 meters


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Approximate positions - Introduction

These pages are for providing formulae and programs to calculate the approximate positions of solar system objects. I would welcome feedback on these pages, and any hints or tips you have accumulated. I can be contacted at keith@xylem.demon.co.uk. 

My main focus will be on simple calculations which can be programmed on a cheap programmable calculator. You don't have to boot up a PC (or gently rouse your Mac) just to find the position of Venus, or to work out the phase of the Moon this evening! 

These pages are not designed to replace books and reference works. I make reference to the sources of my material on each page, with links to the publisher's home page for the book where possible. I also provide a page with links to other resources for planetary positions, including some theory and some software. Most of the software operates under the DOS operating system. 

The calculations, routines and results given here are approximate! The methods are not suitable for calculating eclipses or occultations, or for long times in the future or past. 

Each calculation and program is checked for accuracy over a period of time. I use various 'standard' programs and ephemerides for producing accurate positions, including; 

The Interactive Computer Ephemeris Planeph 
The Twelve Year Planetary Ephemeris (TYPE) 
Brief details of these resources are available on the Resources and Software page on this site. 

I am adding material to this site on a regular basis - and as some of the pages grow very long, I shall split them down into a series of smaller pages. You are welcome to make links to any page or section of a page in this site - but be aware that the arrangement of the information within each page may change.


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Asteroid 1997 XF11 (Earth Close-Approach) 

On October 26, 2028, the near-Earth asteroid 1997 XF11 will make a close approach to Earth. Although initial reports indicated an extremely close passage, the current analyses predict an approach distance of 0.00638 AU (954,000 km, 593,000 mi) or about 2.5 times farther than the moon. The probability that the asteroid will impact the Earth is effectively zero


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Asteroid and Comet Impact Hazards
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Introduction

The Earth orbits the Sun in a sort of cosmic shooting gallery, subject to impacts from comets and asteroids. It is only fairly recently that we have come to appreciate that these impacts by asteroids and comets (often called Near Earth Objects, or NEOs) pose a significant hazard to life and property. Although the annual probability of the Earth being struck by a large asteroid or comet is extremely small, the consequences of such a collision are so catastrophic that it is prudent to assess the nature of the threat and prepare to deal with it. 

Studies have shown that the risk from cosmic impact increases with the size of the projectile. The greatest risk is associated with objects large enough to perturb the Earth's climate on a global scale by injecting large quantities of dust into the stratosphere. Such an event could depress temperatures around the globe, leading to massive loss of food crops and possible breakdown of society. Such global catastrophes are qualitatively different from other more common hazards that we face (excepting nuclear war), because of their potential effect on the entire planet and its population. Various studies have suggested that the minimum mass impacting body to produce such global consequences is several tens of billions of tons, resulting in a groundburst explosion with energy in the vicinity of a million megatons of TNT. The corresponding threshold diameter for Earth-crossing asteroids or comets is between 1 and 2 km. Smaller objects (down to tens of meters diameter) can cause severe local damage but pose no global threat. 

The first step in any program for the prevention or mitigation of impact catastrophes must involve a comprehensive search for Earth-crossing asteroids and comets and a detailed analysis of their orbits. Although current technology permits us to discover and track nearly all asteroids or short-period comets larger than 1 km diameter that are potential Earth-impactors, no general survey has been carried out. Of approximately 2000 Earth-crossing asteroid, fewer than 200 have actually been discovered. Most of what we now know about the population of Earth-crossing asteroids has been derived over the past two decades from studies carried out by a few dedicated observing teams using small ground-based telescopes. Currently several new asteriods are discovered each month. At this rate, however, it will require more than a century to approach a complete survey, even for the larger objects. What is required to assess the population and identify any large objects that could impact the Earth is a systematic survey that effectively monitors a large volume of space around our planet and detects these objects as their orbits repeatedly carry them through this volume of space. In addition, the survey should deal with the long-period comets, which are thought to constitute about 10 percent of the flux of Earth impacts. Long-period comets do not regularly enter near-Earth space; however, nearly all Earth-impacting long-period comets could be detected with advance warning on the order of a year before impact with the same telescopes used for the asteroid survey. 

At present no asteroid or comet is known to be on a collision course with the Earth. The chances of a collision within the next century with an object 1 km or more in diameter are very small (less than 1 in a thousand). But such a collision is possible and could happen at any time. If we did have sufficient warning, however, the incoming object could be deflected or destroyed. Cosmic impacts are the only known natural disaster that could be avoided entirely by the appropriate application of space technology. That is one reason this subject generates so much interest. 

The U.S. Congress recognized the impact hazard in a legislative statement made in 1991 and reinforced its concern in 1994; these Congressional Statements are included on the Impact Hazard Home Page. In response to Congressional interest, NASA conducted a study of the impact hazard and of the means to greatly accelerate the discovery of potentially threatening asteroids and comets. The full text of that study, published in 1992 and called The Spaceguard Survey Report, is also given here. In 1993 a hearing was held in the House of Representatives, and we include the texts of the prepared testimony from that hearing. In 1995 the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) also issued a report calling for additional studies of the impact hazard, and that report is also given. 

Also provided in the following files are a complete listing of all known Earth-crossing asteroids and of predicted close approaches to the Earth in the near future. A bibliography of key scientific papers on the impact hazard is also given. These files will be updated from time to time as new information becomes available.


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Asteroid Observing Services
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Critical list of asteroids (CRITLIST) 
Minimum Orbital Intersection Distance (MOID) 
Asteroid Orbital Elements (ASTORB) 
Asteroid Ephemeris (ASTEPH) 
Asteroid Observability Chart (OBS) 
Asteroid Observing Strategy (OBSSTRAT) 
Lowell Observatory Near-Earth Object Search (LONEOS) 
USNO-A1.0 Star Catalog Web Access (REFNET) 
Asteroid finder charts (ASTFINDER) 
Information for amateurs


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Finder Chart for Asteroids 
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This page builds a PostScript finder chart for asteroids. The star positions are supplied by the USNO-A1.0 catalog and the PPM catalog. The asteroid positions are supplied from the Lowell Observatory asteroid database. 

The chart is centered at the nominal position of the asteroid at the requested time. A small circle surrounds the asteroid's position. A dashed line indicates the one-sigma uncertainty in the asteroid's position and an arrow represents the one-day change in position of the asteroid. The asteroid's name, topocentric position, and magnitude are printed at the top of the chart. The observatory name and time of observation are also indicated there. The radius of a plotted star/asteroid is proportional to its magnitude. All cataloged stars dimmer than 20th magnitude are lowered to 20th magnitude and these are the smallest stars visible on the chart. North is plotted to the top of the chart and East is plotted to the left. If you have problems with ASTFINDER, some hints are available to help you.


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Asteroid shapes and spin states from radar and optical data


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The Planetary Data System (PDS) Small Bodies Node (SBN) is located in the Astronomy Department of the University of Maryland, College Park. This node is concerned with gathering, restoring and archiving data sets related to comets, asteroids and interplanetary dust.


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Near-Earth Asteroid Tracking Home Page
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NEAT is an autonomous celestial observatory located at the USAF/Ground-based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance (GEODSS) site on Haleakala, Maui, Hawaii. NEAT is a cooperative effort between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration/Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the United States Air Force. It is designed to complete a comprehensive search of the sky for near-Earth asteroids and comets. JPL designed, fabricated, and installed the NEAT camera and computer system on a 1-m GEODSS telescope. The USAF through its contractor, PRC, Inc., operates NEAT. The NEAT principal investigator is Dr. Eleanor F. Helin, with co-investigators Dr. David L. Rabinowitz and Dr. Steven H. Pravdo, also the project manager. NEAT began observing in December 1995 and observed for 12 nights each month centered near the new moon through December 1996. Beginning in January 1997 NEAT observes for 6 nights each month starting 6 nights prior to the new moon. Discoveries are reported to the Minor Planet Center, whose WWW site contains new objects which require confirmation by observers.


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The Spacewatch Project 

Spacewatch is the name of a group at the University of Arizona's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory led by Prof. Tom Gehrels and Dr. Robert S. McMillan. The primary goal of Spacewatch is the study of statistics of comets and asteroids in order to investigate the collisional evolution of the solar system. Other goals are pursued also, such as the discovery of target asteroids for Clementine and other space missions aimed at exploration. The protection of the Earth from asteroid impact also is an important goal. 

CCD-scanning observations are conducted 20 nights each lunation with the Steward Observatory 0.9-m Spacewatch telescope on Kitt Peak From this data we conduct studies of the Centaur population, the magnitude-frequency relationship and orbital element distribution of Trojan and Main-Belt asteroids, discovery of Earth-approaching asteroids, recovery of comets and Earth-approaching asteroids, and a survey of the sizes of short-period comet nuclei. We are also currently building a new 1.8 meter telescope which will greatly extend our survey in both how much area is covered and how faint we can scan. 

Some of the Spacewatch's distinctions: 
First to use CCD-scanning routinely in astronomy. 
First to use CCDs to survey the sky for comets and asteroids. 
First astronomical group to develop automated, real-time software for moving-object detection. 
First to discover a near-Earth asteroid by software. 
Detected about one-third of all Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAs) presently known. 
First to use a CCD to discover a comet, which was the faintest comet at time of discovery. 
Detected smallest asteroid (about 6-m diameter). 
Detected closest approach of any asteroid to the Earth (105,000 km). 
Continuing to discover about 20 NEAs per year. 
Discovered the asteroid with closest approach to the Sun (only 1/8th as far from the Sun as the Earth is). 
Identified two new populations so far, namely small NEAs, and distant Centaurs as a class. 
In addition to Prof. Gehrels, Dr. Jeff Larsen , Joe Montani, and Jim Scotti share the 20 night observing load each month. Dr. Robert Jedicke, Marcus Perry, Terry Bressi, Karen Topham, Andrew Tubbiolo and Sarah Duffy provide critical support for Spacewatch operations. 

Some sample Spacewatch images of 1994 XM1 (obtained by Jim Scotti) are shown below. The integration time is about 150 seconds. The field is 5.1 x 4.5 arcminutes on a side with North at right, East at bottom. The asteroid appears as a faint trail near the center of the image. The images was obtained on 1994 Dec. 9, 05:07 UT. Compare this image to the image on the right which shows the asteroid some 4.5 hours later. The asteroid was about 550,000 km away at the time of this image, on its way to a record close approach of some 105,000 km just 12 hours later.


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AstroMall Vendors.  Links to many vendors of astronomical products and services.


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Astromart - The Worlds Largest Astronomy Classifieds & Auctions


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The Stys Observatory 

 I have been doing astrophotography with our Meade 10 inch LX200 since the spring of 1997 and have been astounded by the amount of detail which can be captured with a modest sized telescope. Considering that exposure times are often over an hour long and that the sky is constantly rotating, it is amazing that photos don't come back a colorful blur.


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Astronomy Picture of the Day 
Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.


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The Astronomer Online 

This is the home page of The Astronomer group, TA for short. We produce a magazine for the advanced amateur and our aim is to publish all observations of astronomical interest as soon as possible after they are made. The magazine has been published monthly since 1964 and subscribers are found all over the world. We also provide a very comprehensive electronic circulars service to keep our members up to date. All of this is available for a modest subscription.


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National Space Science Data Center

The National Space Science Data Center (NSSDC) provides access to a wide variety of astrophysics, space physics, solar physics, lunar and planetary data from NASA space flight missions, in addition to selected other data and some models and software. NSSDC provides access to online information bases about NASA and non-NASA data at the NSSDC and elsewhere as well as the spacecraft and experiments that have or will provide public access data. NSSDC also provides information and support relative to data management standards and technologies.


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the Astronomical Data Center! -- A resource for astronomical catalogs and journal data tables

This is the source to go for DATA.  Hundreds of online catalogs can be downloaded in Ascii format.  Deepsky uses catalogs downloaded from this source


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Astronomical Image Library

There are an incredible number of astronomical images available on the Internet - far too many for a single site to archive. Yet, until now astronomers have been missing a central index of these images. We hope to make this Web page fill the gap.


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The Astronomical League 

The Astronomical League welcomes you to its Home Page. Here you will find interesting and varied information on amateur astronomy and on the Astronomical League itself.  

The Astronomical League is composed of over two hundred local amateur astronomical societies from all across the United States. These organizations, along with our Members-at-Large, Patrons, and Supporting members form one of the largest amateur astronomical organizations in the world.  

Our basic goal is to encourage an interest in astronomy (and especially amateur astronomy) throughout America. We do this through educational and observational programs for the amateur astronomer. Anyone may join us as a Member-at-Large, or through their local astronomical society.


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Institute of Astronomy - University of Latvia


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THE ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY  OF AUSTRALIA
The organisation of professional astronomers in Australia.


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Tornin laitteistosta
Tähtitornissa on oltava kaukoputkia, jotta siitä olisi jotain iloa käyttäjilleen. Ursa onkin pitänyt puolensa tässä asiassa. Tornilla on kaukoputkia. 

 Keskeinen kaukoputki on Merz. Tämä 135 mm linssikaukoputki on istutettu tukevalle jalustalle, peruskallioon ulottuvan pilarin päälle. Linssi on vanhaa saksalaista laatuoptiikkaa. Linssin halkaisija on siis 135 mm ja polttoväli 1950 mm. 

Samalla jalustalla on myöskin pienempi 90 mm linssikaukoputki, Aaltonen. Jalustassa on seurantakoneisto. Kaukoputkia voidaan suunnata manuaalisesti eli lihasvoimalla kääntämällä tai sähkömoottoreilla. 

Samassa jalustassa edellisten päällä on Ritchey-Chretien -tyyppinen kaukoputki, jonka peilin halkaisija on 250 mm. 

 Tornilla on myöskin Celestron 8 -merkkinen Schmidt-Cassegrain -kaukoputki, Celikka, omalla jalustallaan. Tämän koneen pääpeilin halkaisija on 200 mm ja polttoväli 2000 mm. Kaukoputken fyysinen pituus on kuitenkin vain 500 mm, joten sen käyttö on kätevää. 

Tornilla on myöskin okulaareja ja kulmaprismoja, värillisiä suotimia planeettojen havaitsemiseen ja valosaastesuodin syvän taivaan kohteiden katseluun. Kamerasovitteita on Canonille, Nikonille ja Pentaxille. 

Aurinkoa voidaan tarkkailla harmaalasisuotimen läpi, jolloin näkyvät auringonpilkut. Auringon protuberansseja ja muita pinnan ilmiöitä on mahdollista havaita ns. H-alfa -suotimen avulla. 

Lisäksi tornilla on 10x50-kiikarit


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The Houston Astronomical Society Home Page


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The Astronomical Society of Kansas City 
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The Astronomical Society of Kansas City promotes amateur astronomy in the Kansas City metropolitan area through public education and membership activities, including:

Monthly club meetings. 
Public star parties (observatory sites and off-site). 
Special membership observing nights. 
Telescope-building workshops. 
Publications on various topics. 
National and regional conventions. 
Group observing expeditions.


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The Astronomical Society of New South Wales Inc


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NORTHERN COLORADO ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY 
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The purpose of our organization is to encourage the understanding and interest in the science and hobby of astronomy. We meet the first Thursday of each month and discuss our interests and share our experience in the universal world of astronomy.


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The Astronomical Society of Northern New England Welcomes You! 
 
Who We Are
Whether you are a beginner or an experienced amateur astronomer, enjoyment and challenges await you as a member of ASNNE. We are based out of Kennebunkport, Maine, but also have several active members from NH and Massachusetts due to our proximity to the NH border. Our activities range from the basics of learning the constellations, to observing the stars and planets with telescopes of all sizes, to listening to presentations on topics like observing techniques, photography, and solar eclipse expeditions to name a few. 

There are many people in Northern New England with an interest in Astronomy. This fact has been demonstrated by our rapid growth since a small group formed the club in July of 1982 to our present membership of over 80 members. ASNNE is an incorporated non-profit, scientific/educational organization with the following goals: 

To promote the science of Astronomy. 
To bring Astronomy and an appreciation of the beauty of the night sky to the public for education and enjoyment. 
To have fun sharing our interest with others.


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Astronomical Society of the Pacific

For over a hundred years, the Astronomical Society of the Pacific has worked to explain the mysteries of the universe, driven by a mission to increase public understanding of science at a variety of levels. As the largest general astronomy society in the world, our membership represents a community joined by its love of the heavens and a desire to share that enjoyment. 
Members receive our well-respected magazine, Mercury, which helps them make sense of what's happening in astronomy today. Through the support of our members, we are able to sponsor a number of public education programs, including our Annual Meeting, the free newsletter for teachers The Universe in the Classroom, and Project ASTRO which joins astronomers and teachers as partners in the classroom. 

Our unique mail order catalog offers the most current, scientifically accurate astronomy products available, including the digitized Palomar Observatory Sky Survey, RealSky CD. For our professional members, the ASP publishes monthly technical journal, the Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (PASP), and the proceedings of important astronomical meetings, our Conference Series Proceedings. If we've whetted your appetite for astronomical information, refer to our comprehensive listing of astronomy links for other sites that can help guide you in your personal discovery of the universe. We hope you'll come back and visit us again and again to review our latest publications, upcoming celestial events, and new products for both educators and the public.


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Astronomical Society of Southern New England
P O Box 477 ...Rehoboth, MA 02769


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The Astronomical Society of Tasmania was founded in 1934 for amateur astronomers who share an interest in all aspects of astronomy and its related sciences. The Society has nearly a hundred members from all walks of life from throughout the state; the largest group of members is in Hobart, followed by Launceston. The Society's aim is to engender interest amongst members and the public in all branches of astronomy. Membership is open to anyone - including individuals, families and clubs - irrespective of age and other interests, and is recognised by the payment of an annual subscription.


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Steve Renshaw's Astronomy in Japan Home Page

Japanese Starlore and Astronomical History
News, Articles, and Activities
Astronomy Sites in Japan with Pages in English
Contributing to this Page


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AstroEd: Astronomy Education Resources
HPCC/ESS K-12 Outreach Project, University of Washington


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ASTRO - FTP LIST
Updated 1 July 1995
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This is a extensive list of anonymous-ftp file servers containing astronomy and space research related material. I have included only those servers containing special subdirectories for astro stuff or much material included into a general directories. This list is not a complete data set of possible places so I would be very happy of all kind of notices and information depending on this listing. For sites with multiple directories of interest I have pointed towards a common top-level directory. I count on you for updates as to the contents and other pertinent information regarding these sites. This HTML version is experimental--please send suggestions and comments to astroftp@seds.lpl.arizona.edu. I could not have done this without the help of Wenjeng Ko, my supervisor/programming mentor at lpl.a rizona.edu


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Astronomy and Space Science
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The U.S. Geological Survey maintains this registry of Earth and Environmental Science Internet resources as a service to the research community. Please send us announcements of related servers that are educational and not for profit.


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Astronomical pictures & animations
An online 4.8 gigabytes astronomical server


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The NSSDC Photo Gallery: Other Image Sites

The Photo Gallery is not NSSDC's only resource for images. You may want to look also at: 

NSSDC Image Catalog 
NSSDC's newest image catalog will eventually provide access to all of NSSDC's photographic archive. The focus right now is planetary images and includes several hundred images not found elsewhere on the web.
URL: http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/imgcat/ 
NSSDC Shoemaker-Levy 9 Image Archive 
Images and information on the impact of the comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 on Jupiter which occurred in July 1994. Over 500 images from 27 observatories world-wide.
URL: http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/sl9/comet_images.html 
NSSDC Chiron Perihelion Campaign Image Archive 
Images and information on the Chiron Perihelion Campaign. More images and information are coming on-line as they become available.
URL: http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/chiron.html 
Sample Solar Data 
Some sample images of the sun in Hydrogen-alpha and x-ray light.
URL: http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/solar/sample_images.html 
Quasi-stereoscopic Solar X-Ray Image Pairs 
Some sample quasi-stereoscopic images from Skylab of the sun.
URL: http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/solar/stereo_images.html 
NSSDC also maintains extensive information in numerous science disciplines, some of which contain additional images. Among those which might be of more interest to Photo Gallery visitors are: 
NSSDC Planetary Fact Sheets 
Fact sheets for every planet and for many minor bodies, including information on mass, rotation and revolution periods, atmospheric composition, magnetospheric information, and much more.
URL: http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/planetfact.html 
NSSDC Discipline Support 
NSSDC provides discipline-specific pages which summarize available resources at NSSDC for each discipline it supports. Disciplines currently supported include Space Physics, Solar Physics, Astronomy & Astrophysics, Planetary Science, and Earth Science. Each of these can be reached by accessing NSSDC's home page.
URL: http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/


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YAHOO  -
Astrophysics@
Faculty (12)
Infrared@
X-Ray@ 
 
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Arizona State University - Physics & Astronomy
Astronomía Sigma Octante (ASO) - Center for Astronomical Research - involved in sunspot observations and other educational activities and science projects in Bolivia.
Augustana College
Ball State University - Physics and Astronomy - Information about undergraduate and graduate classes, research, and personnel.
Bologna Radioastronomy Institute
Boston University
Brigham Young University@
California Institute of Technology@
California State University, Los Angeles
Cambridge University@
Carleton College
Colgate University - Astronomy Program
College of Charleston
Columbia University Astronomy and Astrophysics
Cornell University Department of Astronomy@
Cosmochemistry Group - University of Arkansas - our research is focused on the cosmochemistry and physical properties of extraterrestrial materials. These materials include meteorites, asteroid regoliths, and lunar samples. 
Dartmouth College - Physics and Astronomy
De Anza College
Dickinson College - Physics and Astronomy
Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies - School of Cosmic Physics@
Eastern Michigan University - Department of Physics and Astronomy
European Southern Observatory
George Mason University@
Georgia State University Astronomy
Harvard University
Indiana University Astronomy
Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias (Canary Island, Spain)
Iowa State University
Johns Hopkins Department of Physics and Astronomy@
Joint Astronomy Center Hilo@
Kapteyn Astronomical Institute
Kiepenheuer-Institut für Sonnenphysik (Freiburg, Germany) - research institution exploring the sun. Operates solar telescopes at the Observatorio del Teide on Tenerife, Spain.
Laboratory for Space Research - Univ. of Virginia
Lebedev Institute of Phyisics - Astro Space Center
Leeds University@
Leicester University - Physics and Astronomy@
Louisiana State University
Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie
McMaster University - Physics and Astronomy
Michigan State University Department of Physics and Astronomy@
MIT Center for Space Research@
Mount Wilson Institute - a non-profit, tax-exempt organization formed to realize for public benefit the maximum potential of the Mount Wilson site and facilities.
Mullard Space Science Laboratory
NASA Office of Space Science@
NAU/NASA Space Grant Project
Netherlands Foundation for Research in Astronomy
New Mexico State University Astronomy@
Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Centre
Niels Bohr Institute
Observatorio Astronomico Nacional, UNAM
Ohio State University - Department of Astronomy
Ohio University - Physics and Astronomy
Partical Physics and Astronomy Research Council (UK)
Planetary Science Institute (3)
QUARG - Queen's University Astronomy Research Group
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - Astronomy and Astrophysics
Rice University
Russian Academy of Sciences - covers projects, subdivisions, history, preprints and other resources.
San Diego State University
San Juan Capistrano Research Institute - non-profit scientific institute dedicated to research and education in planetary science, earth science, and astronomy.
Seoul National University - Astronomy
SFSU Physics & Astronomy
Sonoma State University@
St. Mary's University - Astronomy and Physics@
SUNY Stony Brook - Earth and Space Sciences@
SUNY Stony Brook Astronomy Group
Tel Aviv University (Israel) - Physics and Astronomy@
TeSRE Institute - Tecnologie e Studio della Radiazione Extraterrestre - Technology and Study of Extraterrestrial Radiation is a non-profit state-funded research Institute of the Italian National Research Council.
Tufts University - Physics and Astronomy@
UC Irvine@
UC Los Angeles@
UCSD CASS
UCSD Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics
Universidad Catolica del Norte - Instituto de Astronomia - Informacion acerca del Observatorio Cerro Armazones (O.C.A) Academia de Astronomia Armazones.
Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico - Astronomia
Universita' di Bologna Dipartimento di Astronomia
Universitat de Valencia - Grupo de Astronomía y Ciencias del Espacio
Universite Strasbourg
University College London (United Kingdom) - Physics and Astronomy
University Complutense of Madrid - Departamento de Astrofisica
University of Aarhus@
University of Alabama
University of Alaska Anchorage - Physics and Astronomy
University of Amsterdam - Astronomical Institute
University of Amsterdam - Physics and Astronomy
University of Arizona - Astronomy & Steward Observatory - undergraduate and graduate degrees in astronomy and astrophysics; major research facilities in observational and theoretical astronomy.
University of Arizona - Planetary Sciences Lunar and Planetary Laboratory@
University of Calgary@
University of California, Berkeley
University of Central Lancashire - Physics & Astronomy
University of Chicago - Astronomy and Astrophysics
University of Delaware - Dept. of Physics and Astronomy
University of Denver
University of Edinburgh - Physics and Astronomy
University of Florida
University of Georgia - Department of Astronomy and Physics
University of Glasgow - Astronomy & Astrophysics Group
University of Hawaii - Department of Physics and Astronomy
University of Hawaii - Institute for Astronomy (2)
University of Hawaii at Hilo - Physics and Astronomy@
University of Innsbruck (Austria) - also in German.
University of Iowa - Physics and Astronomy@
University of Jena - Astronomy and Astrophysics
University of Kansas@
University of Kentucky
University of London QMW Astronomy Unit - contains information about admissions, courses, and research.
University of Maine
University of Manchester Astronomy Group
University of Maryland at College Park
University of Massachusetts Astronomy Program@
University of Michigan
University of Minnesota Astronomy Department
University of New Mexico
University of New South Wales - Astrophysics and Optics
University of North Carolina
University of Oklahoma - Physics and Astronomy
University of Pennsylvania@
University of Pittsburgh - Department of Physics and Astronomy
University of Rochester - Physics and Astronomy
University of Southampton
University of St. Andrews Astronomy Group - active research group. Home of the James Gregory Telescope.
University of Toledo Department - Physics and Astronomy
University of Toronto - Astronomy Department@
University of Utrecht, Astronomical Institute
University of Vienna - Institute for Astronomy
University of Virginia Astronomy@
University of Wales, Cardiff - Physics and Astronomy
University of Washington - Astronomy - Links to students/staff/faculty in UW Astronomy as well as links to projects we're associated with and regional links
University of Waterloo
University of Western Ontario Astronomy
University of Wisconsin - Madison Astronomy Department
University of Wisconsin-Madison Space Astronomy Lab
University of Wyoming - Department of Physics and Astronomy
USC - Dept. of Physics and Astronomy
UT - Austin Astronomy
UT - Supernovae Research
UVic Physics & Astronomy Home page
Vanderbilt University - Physics and Astronomy
Vassar College - Physics and Astronomy
Villanova University
Virginia Military Institute Physics & Astronomy - undergraduate department of Physics and Astronomy, with 20-inch DFM computer controlled telescope and CCD.
Wayne State University Physics & Astronomy
Wesleyan University - Astronomy
West Chester University - Geology/Astronomy
Whitman College
Williams College Astronomy Department
Yale University - Astronomy


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The Original ATM club and one of the biggest conventions


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The Astronomy Net contains information that helps you learn, understand and enjoy the wonders of Astronomy. Currently you will find: 

Forums about various topics within the field of Astronomy, 
An Astronomy Resource Locator containing a database of contact information for astronomy clubs, observatories, equipment manufacturers, vendors and other organizations. We list organizations with and without web sites so we can bring you a more complete list. 
New and Current Events page containing the lastest Astronomy and Space related headlines. We hand select each news item and offer a direct link to the story. 
A Mailing List so we may stay in contact with you. We also use it learn something about our viewers. 
Coming this Fall, Online editorials covering events in Astronomy.


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Astronomy Online - Britain's Leading astronomy magazine


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AstroWeb: Astronomy/Astrophysics on the Internet

Welcome to AstroWeb - a collection of pointers to astronomy-related information available on the Internet. The database is maintained by the AstroWeb Consortium, a collaboration between a number of individuals at different institutions.


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7 by 35
Keith Burnett 
keith@xylem.demon.co.uk 

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"I have come across many people who have bought their binoculars from railway lost-property offices, though naturally one has to be doubly careful."

-Patrick Moore
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 This page is for people who want to use binoculars to observe the sky. I am recording my experience, and passing on things I have found useful.


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Astrophysics Data System (ADS) Data Services

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The ADS provides several data access services through the World Wide Web. The following list provides links to these services. If you notice any problems, please contact ads@cfa.harvard.edu


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The Aurora & Solar Section of the Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand exists to encourage and publish observations of the Aurora Australis (the "Southern Lights") and the Sun. Aurorae are reported monthly and may be accessed via our Reports Contents Page.

The Section has about 50 members, mostly in southern New Zealand where the aurorae are most commonly seen, but also in other parts of NZ and in Australia. It publishes monthly Newsletters. About once every nine months Circulars are published containing detailed accounts of aurorae and also a summary of solar and geomagnetic observations. Articles of related material are normally included.


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The Aurora Page
 
Information, links and images about the "Northern Lights".


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NOTICE: A new web-based auroral activity reporting system is now on-line.
        Now ANYONE can contribute to the auroral activity sighting database
        by visiting:
                 http://solar.uleth.ca/solar/www/auroras.html
                    AURORAL ACTIVITY SIGHTINGS AS OF 0323 UTC
                    -----------------------------------------
            (Sightings reported between 2230 UTC and 1730 UTC daily)
No sightings reported as of this hour.


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CSIRO's Australia Telescope National Facility

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CSIRO's Australia Telescope National Facility


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Welcome to the Barden Ridge Observatory Home page

The Barden Ridge Observatory is a privately owned Astronomical Observatory located in Sydney's (Australia) south. The Observatory is primarily used for CCD imaging and minor planetary observations. The Observing Dome contains a Celestron 11, 130 mm F6 EDF Starfire Refractor, both on a Losmandy GM200 equatorial mount. All imaging is currently being done using a SBIG ST7  CCD camera, though a ST4, ST6 and ST8 have found their way into the observatory from  time to time as well. A PC laptop is used to control the CCD camera, and run the telescope's pointing software which is used in conjunction with digital setting circles. Image processing  is carried out on a Pentium based desktop PC using SBIG's CCDOPS and Adobe Photoshop.


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FRANKY DUBOIS ' SUN PAGE

Amateur observatory "ADONIS" Franky Dubois of Langemark Belgium
17 years observations of the sun 1982-1998


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The Nine Planets  
A Multimedia Tour of the Solar System  
by Bill Arnett  
 
     The Nine Planets is an overview of the history, mythology, and current scientific knowledge of each of the planets and moons in our solar system. Each page has text and images, some have sounds and movies, most provide references to additional related information. 
     Interplanetary spacecraft have revolutionized planetary science. Very little of this document would have been possible without the space program


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Images of the Messier Objects from the Digitized Sky Survey


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The Web Nebulae 
by Bill Arnett 
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If you look up at the night sky with your naked eye all you see is a black void with a few points of white light. But with a camera and a telescope an entirely different view unfolds in brilliant color and amazing detail. The pages that follow introduce a few of these spectacular objects. The study of the physics of many of these objects is of considerable scientific importance but their simple beauty can be enjoyed by all.


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This site devoted to observational astronomy, homebrewing and the occasional cigar.


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THE BIRMINGHAM ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY

  The Birmingham Astronomical Society was formed in 1977 by a group of local amateur astronomers who felt that a club would provide a stimulating environment for its members, while at the same time, serving to educate the general public about a fascinating hobby. It really doesn't matter whether you already own a telescope and have discovered the pleasures of spending an evening examining the Moon, planets, and deep sky wonders, or whether you simply like to keep abreast of the latest astronomical discoveries---the B.A.S. could be what you have been looking for!


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Binary Stars

free astronomy software for Macintosh computers, complete with manuals teaches binary star concepts may be used in a classroom or lab setting, or for self-education for Windows operating systems, try the CLEA web site for educational astronomy software see also Dan Bruton's Eclipsing Binary Stars web site


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Bologna Astronomical Observatory 
Osservatorio Astronomico di Bologna 
via Zamboni, 33 - 40126 Bologna - Italy 
Tel +39-51-259401 - Fax +39-51-259407


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Welcome to the Bradford Robotic Telescope Observatory site 

The Bradford Robotic Telescope is 46cm and totally autonomous. located high on the moors in West Yorkshire, England. The telescope decides when the conditions are good enough to make observations of the sky by itself (an astronomer does not need to be present) 

 
Anyone on the Internet can register and ask the telescope to look at anything in the northern night sky. Observations are automatically prioritised and scheduled and completed by the telescope as time allows. Other data (weather information and reports) are obtained and updated on this site automatically every day. 

The telescope and this system are prototypes. We are currently working with a number of schools and institutions to provide telescopes similar to this around the world. Comments are appreciated.


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British Astronomical Association 

The British Astronomical Association is a national organisation, founded in 1890, which encourages amateur astronomy through meetings, sectional groups and its publications. Visit the Main Page where you will find full details of the Objectives, the Observing Sections and Section Directors, the Officers of the Association, Publications, Meetings, Instruments, Library and Educational Policy.


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Compute Local Apparent Sidereal Time

Sidereal time is the hour angle of the vernal equinox, the ascending node of the ecliptic on the celestial equator. The daily motion of this point provides a measure of the rotation of the Earth with respect to the stars, rather than the Sun. Local mean sidereal time is computed from the current Greenwich Mean Sideral Time plus an input offset in longitude (converted to a sidereal offset by the ratio 1.00273790935 of the mean solar day to the mean sidereal day.) Applying the equation of equinoxes, or nutation of the mean pole of the Earth from mean to true position, yields local apparent sidereal time. Astronomers use local sidereal time because it corresponds to the coordinate right ascension of a celestial body that is presently on the local meridian.


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What is Light Pollution

People have enjoyed looking at the night sky, one of the most beautiful parts of our environment, for thousands of years. Everyone should be able to see stars and planets, our Milky Way galaxy and shooting stars (meteors); but over the last forty years, millions of lights have blotted out the night sky for people living in towns, and even in the countryside road lights and security lights can cause problems for anyone who wants to see the stars.
Astronomers call the wasted light that goes up into the sky "Light Pollution".


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MIAC Fireball reporting form

This data will be sent to the The Canadian Fireball Reporting Centre at Mount Alison University, coordinated by Bob Hawkes. You should receive a confirmation from the MIAC server that the data has been sent correctly. If you do not get a confirmation try sending it again.


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Canadian Space Agency

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) brings together the larger part of the existing space activities of the federal government. To accomplish its mission, the Canadian Space Agency coordinates all elements of Canada's Space Program and manages five major sectors which are: Space Systems, which includes Canada's contribution to the International Space Station; Space Operations consisting of the David Florida Laboratory - a spacecraft testing facility, and RADARSAT -- Canada's first Earth observation satellite launched in November, 1995; the Canadian Astronaut Office; Space Science; and Space Technologies involving Canada's international partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA).


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Cape Breton Astronomical Society

Sydney, Nova Scotia,Canada


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Carter Observatory 
The National Observatory of New Zealand 
 
The Carter Observatory is located in the Botanic Gardens of Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. It was opened in December 1941, and owes its origin to funds left by the business-man, farmer, and politician Charles Rooking Carter, who died in 1896. In a major development, in 1992 the Observatory acquired the Golden Bay Planetarium from the Wellington Planetarium Society. The public is welcome to visit the Observatory's Visitor Centre.


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NASA - Cassini Mission to Saturn

 In October of 1997, a two-story-tall robotic spacecraft will begin a journey of many years to reach and explore the exciting realm of Saturn, the most distant planet that can easily be seen by the unaided human eye. In addition to Saturn's interesting atmosphere and interior, its vast system contains the most spectacular of the four planetary ring systems, numerous icy satellites with a variety of unique surface features, a huge magnetosphere teeming with particles that interact with the rings and moons, and the intriguing moon Titan, which is slightly larger than the planet Mercury, and whose hazy atmosphere is denser than that of Earth. 

The Cassini mission is an international venture involving NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), the Italian Space Agency (ASI), and several separate European academic and industrial partners. The mission is managed for NASA by JPL. The spacecraft will carry a sophisticated complement of scientific sensors to support 27 different investigations to probe the mysteries of the Saturn system. The large spacecraft will consist of an orbiter and ESA's Huygens Titan probe. The orbiter mass at launch will be nearly 5300 kg, over half of which is propellant for trajectory control. The mass of the Titan probe (2.7 m diameter) is roughly 350 kg.

The mission is named in honor of the seventeenth-century, French-Italian astronomer Jean Dominique Cassini, who discovered the prominent gap in Saturn's main rings, as well as the icy moons Iapetus, Rhea, Dione, and Tethys. The ESA Titan probe is named in honor of the exceptional Dutch scientist Christiaan Huygens, who discovered Titan in 1655, followed in 1659 by his announcement that the strange Saturn "moons" seen by Galileo in 1610 were actually a ring system surrounding the planet. Huygens was also famous for his invention of the pendulum clock, the first accurate timekeeping device.

 What we know about Titan is certainly tantalizing. Its brownish-orange, hazy atmosphere of nitrogen, methane, and complex array of carbon-based molecules hides a frigid surface that may contain lakes of liquid ethane over a thin veneer of frozen methane and ammonia, which in turn probably overlies a mantle of frozen water ice. As high-energy particles and ultraviolet light bombard the nitrogen and methane molecules, these and further reactions create a variety of organic molecules that clump together and rain slowly down upon the mysterious surface below. In many ways, Titan's environment may resemble the chemical factory of primordial Earth. Though life is unlikely due to the extreme cold, Titan may still provide valuable clues to the chemistry of early Earth.

The benefits derived from the Cassini mission are significant. Aside from the rewards of international cooperation and the excitement of the discoveries that are anticipated, new technology features include powerful new computer chips, solid-state recorders, gyroscopes with no moving parts, and solid-state power switches. As Cassini transmits its findings from Saturn during the 2004-2008 period, the results are bound to inspire young and old alike to learn more about science and contemplate issues ranging from the origin of the solar system to the beginning of life on Earth.


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Dr. Steve B. Howell
Research Scientist, Astrophysics Group, PSI 

Research Interests 

Cataclysmic Variables: 
Steve performs observational research on these types of variables from the X-ray region to the radio. He is a frequent GO on NASA's fleet of astrophysics satellites as well as observing at many of the worlds ground-based observatories. Recent research has focused on the EUV light distribution on the surfaces of the white dwarfs in AM Her systems and IR spectroscopy of CV secondaries. Steve and his collaborators are currently knee deep in TOADs; Tremendous Outburst Amplitude Dwarf novae that is. 

The AM Her variable RE1149 showing its EUV light curve and a model fit. 


UKIRT IR Spectra of two short period CVs. 

Phase plot for the star UZ For. This model, developed by collaborator Martin Sirk at CEA, shows UZ For at some selected lightcurve phase points. 

One frame from the UZ Fornax movie showing the EUV light curve, binary system with associated magnetic field loops, and expanded view of the white dwarf. For the entire movie, see the entry by Martin Sirk in the CEA homepage. 


Faint Object 2-D Photometry 
Performing time-series photometry and object identification on faint objects (ie. very low S/N) is another research area. Steve is currently involved with a number of stellar and extragalactic time-series projects as well as part of the Lowell Observatory Near-Earth Object Survey (LONEOS) project soon to have first light. Steve has also started work on using ground-based photometric data to search for Extra-Solar planets. 
Photometry is an art ! 

CCD Time series data set of a recent superoutburst of SW UMa. 

Ground-based photometric transit predictions for Extra-Solar Planets. 

CCD Instrumentation: 
Development of a Realistic Model for CCD point sources has been long overdue but finally done. This model allows the user to specify and control all aspects of point source observations in a software manner. Check out the figures for examples. PSI is also currently in the beta test phase of their unique very low resolution CCD spectrograph (VULCAN) which allows the entire visible spectrum to be imaged at once. talk about model and show figs, plus VULCAN


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This is a compilation of NASA's Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, press releases, images and other information.  

Aerial Images, San Francisco Bay area 
Aircraft 
Aircraft Components 
Air Traffic Control 
Ames History 
Ames Management 
Astronauts 
Astrobiology 
Aviation Safety 
Business in cubator, Ames showcase 
Business 
Comets 
Computers & Information Technology 
Conferences 
Earthquakes, Fires, Volcanos 
Education 
Environment and NASA 
Galileo Probe 
Hubble Telescope 
Infrared Telescope Launched 
Internet and NASA 
Jet Engine Noise Reduction 
Kuiper Airborne Observatory (astronomy from aircraft platform) 
Life Sciences 
Lunar Prospector Spacecraft 
Mars 
Medical 
Meteors 
Microgravity research 
Molecules, computer simulated 
Moon (Earth's) 
Moffett Federal Airfield 
Nanotechnology 
Obituaries 
Ozone 
Planets, Moons, Comets, Solar System and Beyond 
Plants & Space Experiments 
Political Leaders Visit Ames 
Radar 
Remote Sensing 
Robotics and Virtual Reality 
Satellites 
SETI/HRMS 
Simulators of Ames 
Space Colonies 
Spacecraft 
Space Shuttles 
Space Suits 
Space Technology 
Spinoff (Commercialization of NASA technology) 
SOFIA (Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy) 
Wind Tunnels 
Wings, Airplane


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A Catalog of Digital Images of 113 Nearby Galaxies; i.e.:

This is a collection of images of 113 nearby galaxies assembled at the Department of Astrophysics, Princeton University. All are large, bright and well resolved. Observations with CCDs are form Palomar Observatory (31 galaxies) and from Lowell Observatory (82 galaxies). Images from Palomar are available in 3 photometric bands: Thuan-Gunn g, r and i; images from Lowell are in two bands: J and R. This page has links to the paper in the Astronomical Journal (AJ) reporting about this catalog (in both PostScript and plain text), to clickable postage-stamp images of all the galaxies, to a query form to browse the archive and to an FTP directory where all files are found. Images are available in FITS, GIF and TIFF format. A separate 'Headers' subdirectory has text headers extracted from the FITS files for those without a FITS reader (GIF and TIFF users). Princeton University Press will publish a CD ROM with all data.


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A Catalogue of Meteorites and Fireballs, from A.D. 2 to A.D. 1860
by R.P. Greg, Esq., F.G.S
from the Report of the Thirtieth Meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science; held at Oxford in June and July 1860. Published by John Murray, Albemarle Street, London. 1861. 

This Catalogue is intended partly as a sequel to the Reports on Luminous Meteors, now continues for a series of years in the volumes of the British Association Reports, and partly as a continuation, in a corrected and extended form, of a Catalogue of Meteorites published by the author, in two papers on the same subject, in the Numbers of the Philosophical Magazine and Journal of Science for November and December 1854. 
The following works and periodicals have been consulted, viz.-- Thomson's Meteorology, 1849; Transactions of the Royal Society; Nicholson's Journal of Natural Philosophy; Thomson's Annals of Philosophy; London, Edinburgh, and Dublin Philosophical Magazine; Brewster's Encyclopaedia, article "Meteorite;" Annual Register; Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal; British Association Reports; Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy; Spurgeon's Annuals of Electricity; New Edinburgh Philosophical Journal; Partsch's Shepard's, and Reichenbach's Catalogues of Meteorites; R. Wolf's, Chladni's, Boguslawski's, Quetelet's, Baumhauer's, and Coulvier-Gravier's Catalogues; Dr. Clark's Thesis on Iron Meteoric Masses; Poggendorff's Annalen; Annales de Chimie et de Physique; Comptes Redus; Transactions of the Imperial Academy of Arts and Sciences of Vienna, 1859-60, papers by W. Haidinger; Transactions of the Royal Academy of Brussels; Quarterly Journals of the Natural History Society of Zurich, 1856; Die Feuermeteore insbesondere die Meteoriten, &c., von Dr. Otto Buchner of Giessen, 1859; Lithologia meteorica del Profesor Joaquin Balcells, Barcelona, 1854; Report on Meteorites, by Prof. Shepard; Reports of the Smithsonian Institution, United States; Silliman's American Journal; as well as various private notices and public journals. I have likewise to acknowledge the kind assistance and valuable information received from Herr P. A. Kesselmeyer, Dr. Buchner, Herr W. von Haidinger, and Professor Heis. 
The few abbreviations used in this Catalogue speak for themselves, and hardly need explanation. Where weights of meteorites are stated, it is generally intended to denominate lbs. Troy, English, though sometimes the Vienna or Prussian pound has unavoidably been given. Tables of analysis are added at the end of the catalogues. Genuine cases of stone- or iron-falls and detonating meteors, are marked with an asterisk (*), and in the Tables count for 1; doubtful cases are marked in the Catalogue with a (?), and count as ½ in the Tables. 
The numbers in some of the Tables, it will be found, do not quite agree with those in the corresponding Tables given in the Report on Luminous Meteors, in the Volume of the British Association Reports for 1860, owing to the circumstance that when that Report was presented at the Oxford Meeting the present Catalogue was not then quite completed. 
A few remarks are added to the Tables, which do not call for much comment in this place, as they have mostly already been alluded to in the aforesaid Report. With regard to the November period for shooting stars, E. C. Herrick, of the United States, considers it to be advancing into the year; in A.D. 1202, it occurred about the 26th October; in 1366 on October 30th; so that the motion of the node or ring which furnishes these shooting stars, is at the rate of 3 or 4 days a century; the period itself being a recurrent one probably of about 33 years. (See Silliman's Journal, No. 91, p. 137, for January 1861.) 
In the Catalogue itself great care has been taken in separating the different kinds of fireballs and aërolites; hitherto this has not been done with sufficient care, and large meteors have not unfrequently been called aërolitic, when not even any detonation has been reported; examples of this not unfrequently occur in the catalogues of Baumhauer, Kämtz, and Arago. Dr. Buchner of Giessen, and P.A. Kesselmeyer of Frankfort-on-Maine, will, I understand, shortly bring out catalogues of aërolitic falls, where details in matters concerning original authorities and geographical distribution, &c. will be given fully. 
In the Tables at the end of this Catalogue, Class A includes only cases where stones or irons have really fallen; Class B, meteors accompanied by detonation; Class C, first-class meteors not accompanied by detonation; this class includes all fireballs given in the catalogues up to the year 1820; after that time, only the most remarkable ones, as in consequence of the subsequent greatly increased numbers of observations from about that time, it is evident the described fireballs would probably be of smaller size than for older observations; Class D includes all fireballs mentioned in the catalogues and supplements, large or small, where no detonation was reported, and of course includes the C class. The Tables are so constructed, that a glance will suffice to show the results as regards numbers and dates, and the proportion which one class bears to another; some of them will be found to be not without some interest. 
Note.--Wherever the words "Stone-fall" or "Iron-fall" occur, it may be understood, as a rule, that such phenomenon was also accompanied by a detonating fireball, or at least by a detonation.


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FTP directory /pub/astro/images/deepspace/ccd/ccd_atlas at nautilus.fis.uc.pt 

CCD Atlas (Deep Sky Objects)

CCD Atlas is a compilation of CCD images of deep sky objects 
(galaxies, nebulae and clusters). It includes well-known objects
(the whole Messier catalogue) as well as less known objects (e.g. 
NGC and IC catalogues). The Atlas is intended to provide a quick-
reference to a large number of objects and can be used in supernova
hunting and variable stars identifications to give only two examples.
The Atlas will be periodically expanded by the addition of new images. 

All images were obtained with a HiSIS22 CCD camera equipped with a
KAF-0400L chip (768x512 pixels, 9x9 microns, 6.9x4.6mm2, 14bits, with 
anti-blooming). Two different telescopes were used: (i) Celestron 14
(C14) and (ii) Mead2045 (Mead4) housed in a roll-off-roof observatory
in Central Portugal. Both are mounted on the same fork mount (fixed pier)
equipped with a Byers retrofit (see Ccdatlas.jpg). Total integration times
varied from 1min (open and globular clusters) to 5/20min (nebulae and
galaxies). With few exceptions, images were obtained using 2x2 binning
(384x256 pixels). Software of the Mips family was used to obtain and
process the CCD images (Qmips, Mips, WinMips, Qmips32). Photoshop 3.0 was
used to process the 8bit image files.

Every entry (*_at.jpg files, 15% compression) of the CCD Atlas (black stars
on a white background) contains the following information: Logo-CCD Atlas,
Object identification (Messier, NGC and IC cataloges), Telescope used, CCD 
Camera, Date (year/month/day), Orientation (North or South up), Scale 
(1 or 5 minutes of arc), Author identification (Email).

Pedro Re'
pedrore@mail.telepac.pt


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FTP directory /pub/astro/images/deepspace/ccd/ccd_atlas at nautilus.fis.uc.pt 

Grove Creek Observatory
Trunkey Creek, NSW, Australia
(Long: 149d 21' 59" East, Lat: 33d 49' 47" South, Alt: 1024m)

Stay in our comfortable accommodation facility!
See the southern skies from the best location in Australia!
Have the astronomical experience of your lifetime!

"The Grove Creek Observatory is a private observatory located in the Central West
of New South Wales, Australia. It is run as a non-profit organisation by volunteers
for the benefit of the general public, amateur astronomers and the internet community."


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Welcome to Images From The Night Sky. These pages are
dedicated to imaging astronomical objects with both the
electronic CCD camera and conventional film photograpy.
Please select from one of the topics below.


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Astronomy - Lots of Images 

General Information: 

SuperComputing and Cosmology 
Cosmology and the Origin of Life Class 
Comet Hyakutake 
Images from the Hubble Deep Field 
Newly Discovered Planets Page 
Newly Discovered Planet 51 Peg 
Pine Mountain Observatory 
Internet Connectivity Project 

General Images: 
The Solar System: 

Comet Crash Gallery 
Protoplanetary Disks 

Galactic Nebulae: 

Planetary Nebulae Gallery 
The Messier CCD Gallery 

Extragalactic Objects: 

The Messier CCD Gallery 
Low vs High Surface Brightness Galaxies 
More Low Surface Brightness Galaxies 
Clusters of Galaxies 

Specialized Images: 

Galaxies: 

2048x2048 Image Galaxy 
Images And Light Curves of Recent Supernova 
Fabry-Perot Gallery 
Comparative Galaxy Morphology at Different Wavelengths 
Infrared Imaging of Galaxies 

UFOs: 

UFOS and other strange phenomena 

Educational Material: 

Publications: 

Local Astronomical Web Publications/Preprints 
Sky and Telescope Table of Contents On line 

Movies, Demonstrations and Text: 

Movies of Interacting Galaxies 
Example Digital Spectra of Different Kinds of Stars 
Astronomy Hypertext Resource 
Short Primer on Dark Matter 

Web Talks: 
About CCD detectors 
Cosmological Issues


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Procyon Systems is dedicated to the advancement of Amateur Astronomy through the development of new and useful software tools. Located in Western Tennessee, we've been developing Macintosh based Astronomy software since 1993. We've recently moved from the Central Florida area.

We're the creators of Observer, a collection of astronomy software tools designed to be used on Macintosh laptops while in the field, and Scopelink, our hardware interface to automate your telescope.

We are proud to receive yet another search engine award from the Computer Crowsnest search engine. See our


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CENTRAL MISSOURI ASTRONOMICAL ASSOCIATION'S
WWW Home Page!


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Chagrin Valley Astronomical Society
Post Office Box 11 Chagrin Falls, Ohio 44022


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Champaign-Urbana Astronomical Society

C.U.A.S. was formed in 1986 as an affiliate group of the Champaign Park District. The initial members were participants of several park district six week astronomy classes that focused on how to view Halley's Comet during its last apparition. Our current membership is about 65, with members from all walks of society and various backgrounds. They all share a love of the night sky. The club operates a small library open to any member and routinely participates in civic events and public viewing sessions of the night sky. Dues are $15 per family and are prorated to January 1st of each year.


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Chuck's Astrophotography

Astrophotography is an interest I've had since 1987. It's the part of amateur astronomy that can be the most rewarding or the most frustrating. Astrophotography is unlike most other kinds of photography. Usually you record on film pretty much what you see through the camera viewfinder. When you point your telescope at the sky you seldom see more than a faint patch of light and often nothing at all! Yet, if you're pointed at the right spot, a wonderfully detailed galaxy or nebula will appear on your film. To get a good astrophoto every one of a hundred things have to be right. Some are within your control, like your equipment, and some things are beyond your control, like the weather. I specialize in B&W film astrophotography using Kodak Technical Pan 2415. This film, when developed appropriately, gives high resolution and contrast unlike any other film. Some people specialize in color astrophotography and some in CCD. I have included links on this page to other sites with B&W, color and CCD astrophotographs.


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ISSA

ISSA is the Infrared Sky Survey Atlas, an all-sky survey made by the IRAS (Infrared Astronomical Satellite) at wavelengths of 12, 25, 60 and 100 microns. All but a few percent of the sky are covered with 1.5 arcminute pixels. These data are also available on CD ROM from the National Space Science Data Center at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. 

A Postage Stamp Server?

Suppose you need data on a small region of sky. This experimental service will attempt to provide you with small "postage stamps" of a 2-degree field centered on your target. Targets may be specified either by 1950 equatorial coordinates or by name. Names are converted to positions using the SIMBAD service in Strasbourg, France. This service should send you your results in less than two minutes. Be sure your web client is configured to transfer FITS files as binaries. We will often be not available from 16:00 PST/PDT on Wednesdays until sometime the following morning for system maintenance.


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Clementine - DSPSE

Water Found On The Moon. The Pentagon announced on December 3, 1996 that data acquired by the Clementine spacecraft indicates that there is ice in the bottom of a crater on the Moon. Located on the Moon's South pole it was discovered with radar data and although it is never lit by the sun you may view an image of the area.


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AstroLink! WWW Astronomy Page
A service of the school of Mathematics & Natural Science


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Coelum

COELUM: il meglio dell’astronomia in edicola ogni mese e in questo sito le immagini più belle della rete! Coelum è l’unico mensile di astronomia in Europa che si avvale delle più sofisticate tecniche di elaborazione digitale per offrirvi al meglio, ogni mese, le più straordinarie fotografie riprese da Hubble, Mars Global surveyor, Galileo, Soho e dai maggiori telescopi mondiali, così come quelle riprese dai migliori astrofotografi del mondo. La rivista a cui collaborano esperti di tutto il mondo e le più grandi firme dell’astronomia amatoriale italiana. Ogni mese 100 pagine di news, descrizione del cielo, teoria, pratica osservativa, raffinati test strumentali, tecniche CCD, consigli all’acquisto di strumenti, fotografie stupende.


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COMET COMMENTS FOR JULY 1998 by Don Machholz


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Sky Map Software
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 Welcome to the SkyMap Software web site. Here you can read about our products, download evaluation versions of our software, visit our on-line library to obtain the latest "up to date" data for use in our products, chat to other users, and much more.

Our Mission
To become the leading supplier of high quality astronomy software for the serious amateur and professional astronomer.

Company Profile
SkyMap Software is based in Cheshire, England. The company was founded in 1990 by Chris Marriott, a professional physicist and software developer with a life-long interest in astronomy. The company's main product - the SkyMap planetarium (after which the company is named) - was first released in February 1993 and is now a market leader in this very competitive field. 

Contact Information
Telephone 
+44 (0) 1925 764131 
Postal address 
9 Severn Road, Culcheth, Cheshire WA3 5ED, UK 
Electronic mail 
Information: sales@skymap.com 
Support: support@skymap.com 
Webmaster chris@skymap.com


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Comet Hale-Bopp Home Page The Great Comet of 1997

On July 23, 1995, an unusually bright comet outside of Jupiter's orbit (7.15 AU!) was discovered independently by Alan Hale, New Mexico and Thomas Bopp, Arizona. The new comet, designated C/1995 O1, is the farthest comet ever discovered by amateurs and appeared 1000 times brighter than Comet Halley did at the same distance. Normally, comets are inert when they are beyond the orbit of Jupiter, so it has been speculated that Comet Hale-Bopp is either a rather large comet or experienced a bright outburst (or both). The comet is the brightest comet since Comet West in 1976. From Hubble Space Telescope images, the comet's diameter has been determined to be about 40 km. The Pic du Midi Observatory has ascertained from their observations that the comet's rotation rate is 11.4 hours. 

With over 5,000 images, this site has the largest collection of Comet Hale-Bopp images in the world available on the Internet. The home page is maintained solely on the volunteer efforts of myself.


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The Hale-Bopp Comet Page
written and compiled by Bill Drennon
for students of Central Valley Christian High School


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HaleBopp.Com

Comet Hale-Bopp will be remembered as one of the most spectacular comets of the 20th century. There are a number of reasons this is so, not the least of which that the comet holds the all time record for length of time it was naked eye visible (19 months).

However, as bright as the comet was, its real source of fame lies in the treatment the comet received by the mass media. As a result an astounding 81% of all Americans (USA) saw the comet with their own eyes according to a survey conducted by Maricopa Research and quoted in Sky & Telescope magazine. Unfortunately it will also be remembered for its association with the death of 40 Heaven's Gate cultists in Southern California. These misguided souls were influenced by the rumor of a Saturn-Like-Object following the comet. Halebopp.Com played a big role, along with other Web sites and astronomers around the world, in debunking the "Companion Myth". See our SLO Files for details.

Comet Hale-Bopp was the most photographed comet in history. An army of amateur astronomers armed with CCD cameras as well as traditional film cameras recorded millions of images of the comet, not to mention the unknown number of pictures taken by everyone else. The Comet Album here at Halebopp.Com contains over fifty of the very best photos we have seen of Comet Hale-Bopp. Comet Hale-Bopp's dramatic visual display, as demonstrated in the album, fueled the fire of media coverage. A number of images in our album have appeared in major media around the world.

In addition to general information about Comet Hale-Bopp, Halebopp.Com also includes an annotated chronology of Comet Hale-Bopp as well as information about astronomy in general. Please drop us a note and express your thoughts about Comet Hale-Bopp and/or this Web site. There are a variety of email links for this purpose throughout the site, including this one: sipe@sipe.com.

Enjoy your tour of Halebopp.Com.


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Comet P/Shoemaker-Levy 9 Collision with Jupiter

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Do not go gentle into that good night. 
Rage, rage against the dying of the light. - Dylan Thomas 

From July 16 through July 22, 1994, fragments of Comet P/Shoemaker-Levy 9 collided with Jupiter, with dramatic effect. This was the first collision of two solar system bodies ever to be observed. Shoemaker-Levy 9 consists of 20 discernable fragments with diameters estimated at up to 2 kilometers, which impacted the planet at 60 Km/s. The impacts resulted in plumes many thousands of kilometers high, hot "bubbles" of gas in the atmosphere, and large dark "scars" on the atmosphere which have lifetimes at least on the order of weeks. Smaller bits and dust continue to impact the planet. Shoemaker-Levy 9 is gone, but as the Earth- and space-based images show, it did not go quietly.

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Comet P/Shoemaker-Levy 9 Collision with Jupiter


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Photographs of Comet Hyakutake and Comet Hale-Bopp

by Terry Acomb
   
Two Great Comets in Two Years

1996 and 1997 saw the appearance of two exceptional comets, Comet Hyakutake and Comet Hale-Bopp. Bright naked-eye comets such as these are relatively rare, occurring at an average rate of about 5 per century over the last 2000 years (see "Great Comets in History" at this website). Comet Hyakutake (1996) and Comet Hale-Bopp (1997) were the brightest comets to appear since Comet West in 1976. All of these comets were far brighter than the 1986 apparition of Halley's Comet (a relatively poor apparition for this more famous periodic visitor) .

The photographs appearing on this website (16 in all) are the best results from my efforts to photograph these two exceptional comets. I have also included information and supporting links on comets, astrophotography, and other related subjects. All photographs on this website are single exposures, none are composites. The fast films on the market today (Kodak Ektapress 1600 film was used for all of these photographs) are far superior than the fast films available only a few years ago. They can produce excellent results when used in locations free of light pollution. 

While Comet Hale-Bopp was probably viewed by more people than any other comet in history (for reasons described below), I thought Comet Hyakutake was a more impressive visual sight than Comet Hale-Bopp due to Hyakutake's incredible size. The 70 degree tail (the angular distance from horizon to zenith is 90 degrees for comparison) was far longer than even the most optimistic predictions by scientists. The tail at maximum length could only under be seen for a couple of nights between the hours of about 2:00 AM and 5:00 AM, under dark skies, far away from cities and suburbs. This is why the incredible display put on by Comet Hyakutake went unseen by most of the general public. A very interesting article from Sky and Telescope Magazine comparing and contrasting these two recent great comets is here.


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Comet C/1996 B2 Hyakutake
The Great Comet of 1996
 
Observer: NEAR Spacecraft 
Location: Deep Space 
Date: March 24, 1996 


774 Days Since Perihelion 
Comet Discovered: January 30, 1996
Earth Closest Approach: March 25, 1996 07:00 UT (0.10 AU)
Sun Closest Approach: May 1, 1996 09:31 UT (0.23 AU)

 

"I don't care about the naming of the comet. If many people could enjoy that comet, that is the happiest thing for me." - Yuji Hyakutake 

On January 30, 1996, Yuji Hyakutake in Japan discovered a new comet using 25x150 binoculars. The comet was designated Comet C/1996 B2 (Hyakutake). As subsequent observations of the new comet were obtained, Brian Marsden from the IAU Central Bureau was able to compute the comet's orbital elements, and these computations indicated that the comet will pass as close as 0.10 AU (9.3 million miles) from the Earth on March 25, 1996! The comet has become a bright naked-eye object and will remain so in March, April and May of this year. The comet has already exceeded expectations, becoming the brighest comet since Comet West in 1976. A long tail of up to 100 degrees has been reported, and small fragments have been observed to break off the main nucleus. Comet Hyakutake is indeed the Great Comet of 1996.


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Comet Hyakutake 
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Dust Jets (ESO NTT Image) 

This is the ESO WWW Home Page for Comet 1996 B2 (Hyakutake) which was the brightest comet in the sky since 1976. It passed within 15 million kilometres (0.1 AU) of the Earth on March 25, 1996, and reached its perihelion on May 1, 1996.

The latest, published observation is from October 24.45, 1996. On this date a magnitude of 16.8 was measured and no coma was seen anymore. (G. J. Garradd, Loomberah, N.S.W., Australia).

This page will be updated if new information and images - in particular from the ESO La Silla observatory - become available. However, the comet is now very faint and it is not likely that this will happen very often.


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Comet Page
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Until the current blizzard of extraordinary comets subsides, we will make all of our various comet pages accessible from this one, lower-level page rather than putting them all on the "main" home page. We do this with the intent that your browsing will be made easier


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Comet SL9 and Jupiter  Impact Image Browser Version 2.2

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Comet SL9 and Jupiter  Impact Image Browser


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Welcome to the LCA Web Server.
The Laboratory for Computational Astrophysics (LCA) is a joint project of the National Center for Supercomputer Applications and the Department of Astronomy of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The LCA develops and disseminates theoretical modeling software for astrophysics research. The LCA is directed by Michael L. Norman


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Motorize Your Telescope and add computer control
...by Mel Bartels, last updated June 11, 1998


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The Constellations

Here you will find all kinds of information relating to the 88 constellations: first the Greek myths of each constellation (or rather, of those constellations which have a myth), and then lots of data on many of the stars themselves, such as their visual magnitude, distance, and so on. 
A graphic "map" of the constellation helps the observer locate the various stars in the night sky, while suggestions are given about various highlights, such as the finest binaries, an interesting variable, or a deep sky object. The orbits of many visual binaries are also displayed.

See the Greek alphabet if you need a little help in telling a phi from a psi.

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Once you've started looking for information, you'll find a number of linked pages, such as to the Messier objects, and to all NGC objects that are mentioned. There are even links to the Greek gods and goddesses who appear.

First, from The Constellations Table choose the constellation about which you wish information.


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The Constellations and their Stars - Information on Constellations and stars


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Welcome to Cosmic Images, a world wide web site devoted to recent lunar, planetary and deep space images from Kohl Observatory, Lakewood, New York, U.S.A.


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Crimean International Marriage and Introduction Agency


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Dave's Homepage

My name is Dave Johnson, welcome to my homepage. I'm 32 years old, I have an Associate in Applied Science Degree in Data Processing, and have been working with computers since 1983, when I started by taking BASIC in high school. This is my first homepage (with subsequent modifications), so I hope that it'll at least prove a bit interesting to you. Thanks for checking it out! 

Along with being a computer professional, I have interests in Science, Astronomy in particular (including NASA activities), and to a lesser-utilized extent, shortwave radio and weather phenomenon. 

Shot of my neighborhood near Chicago, Il., taken from my apartment window:


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David Chandler Company - Quality software and publications for astronomy and astronomy education.


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Flat Earth Big Sky Astronomy Club
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Welcome to the Big Sky Astronomy Home Page. This little corner of the Web is dedicated to the quest of understanding the "Big Sky", that we see over head every clear night. Using the images or the Nav-bar below you can launch your imagination and discover a little bit more about your backyard, and the cosmic neighbourhood in which we live.


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Welcome to the Davis SolarNet project, a collaboration between the Davis Memorial Solar Observatory and Stetson University.

The Davis SolarNet project's goal is to link together the Davis Memorial Solar Observatory and Stetson University, to provide internet access to the solar data the observatory is gathering. As a sample of what the observatory can do, below are images scanned at 350 dpi from filtergrams taken at the observatory using a 15 centimeter solar refractor and 0.5 angstrom h-alpha narrow bandpass filter. Heliographic orientations are approximate only. White light images were obtained with a 12 centimeter long-focus refractor and 50 millimeter Zeiss-Baader solar wedge with a 0.1 nd filter TP 2415 Kodak film. Psuedo-color added digitally.


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Doran Planetarium

The Doran Planetarium is situated on the campus of Laurentian University.
Laurentian University is located in the beautiful city of Sudbury in Northern Ontario.


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Eclipse Home Page

"To witness a total eclipse of the Sun is a privilege that comes to but few people. Once seen, however, it is a phenomenon never to be forgotten. The black body of the Moon standing out ... in sinister relief between Sun and Earth, the sudden outflashing glory and radiance of the pearly corona which can be seen at no other time, the scarlet prominences rising from the surface of the hidden Sun to heights of many thousand miles, the unaccustomed presence of the brighter stars and planets in the daytime, the darkness of twilight and the unusual chill in the air. There is something in it all that affects even the strongest nerves and it is almost with a sigh of relief that we hail the return of the friendly Sun."


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Upcoming & Recent Eclipses of the Sun and Moon
U.S. Naval Observatory Astronomical Applications Department


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The Exploration of Neighboring Planetary Systems (ExNPS) Study

The Exploration of Neighboring Solar Systems (ExNPS) is the most recent of several studies leading to the formation of NASA's Origins Program. Commissioned by NASA Administrator Dan Goldin in 1995, NASA's Office of Space Science chartered the Jet Propulsion Laboratory to develop a long term road map ". . . to explore (i.e., to detect and study) neighboring planetary systems and to characterize and image individual planets in those systems." This activity involved 135 researchers from 53 universities, companies, and federal laboratories. The resulting road map contributed to the formation of the NASA's Origins Program and is one input being used in creating the strategic plan for NASA's Origins Program.

The Origins Program challenges NASA and the nation's scientists and engineers to answer a question of deep and abiding interest - - - Are there other worlds in the Universe capable of supporting life? This search is part of a broad NASA theme for the scientific investigation of the origins of stars and planets, of life, and of the Universe itself.

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Exploration of Neighboring Planetary Systems


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Archive of DoD Press Releases
The following are press releases/announcements from the Air Force Technical Applications Centre (AFTAC) Office of Public Affairs and elsewhere. These releases relate to satellite observations of fireballs detected in the atmosphere by optical and infrared sensors aboard DoD satellites


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DAVID DUNLAP OBSERVATORY
DATABASE OF GALACTIC CLASSICAL CEPHEIDS

Original authors of this work were J.D. Fernie, Brian Beattie, Nancy Remage Evans, and S. Seager. Revisions and extensions continue to be made by Fernie and Beattie. Please direct comments and enquiries to fernie@astro.utoronto.ca. 

Last update: February 18, 1997.

We present a database of over 500 classical Cepheids in the Galaxy contained in four files. The first, Positional Data, contains the equatorial and galactic coordinates of each star, and cross-references to HD and SAO numbers where they exist. The second, Mean Values and Amplitudes, provides mean values of Johnson B and V magnitudes, both as magnitude- and as intensity-means, the corresponding B-V values, the amplitudes in B, V, and B-V, and the radial velocity pulsational amplitudes. The third file, Colour Excess, lists major determinations of E(B-V) and the average for each Cepheid where possible. The fourth file, Physical Data, brings together some material from the other files, as well as listing period, absolute magnitude, distance, height above the galactic plane, mean radius, mean radial velocity, and notes regarding binarity, cluster membership, etc. 

No individual observations are given. For these see the McMaster Cepheid Photometry and Radial Velocity Data Archive, an extensive compilation of observational data maintained by Doug Welch at McMaster University.


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WELCOME TO GALACTIC IMAGES
Astrophotography by John Chumack


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Welcome to GalaxyGuide, A Multimedia Journey through the Constellations
A CD-ROM for Windows


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The Earth Satellite Ephemeris Service 

This WWW form produces a table which tells where and when to look from a given location to see overflights of the brighter artificial Earth satellites. On a given evening from a dark rural location, dozens of satellites can be located in the sky, mostly during the 90 minutes following sunset and preceeding sunrise during the deep twilight period in which the observer's location is in darkness but low earth orbit 300 km up is still in sunlight. Artificial Earth satellites appear as slow moving points of light, sometimes confused with planes, but shining with the pure white light of reflected sunlight, and not displaying flashing red and green navigation lights when viewed through binoculars. Some may blink or momentarily become brighter as they reflect light from solar panels or other flat surfaces. Please study the information below the form carefully prior to using this service for the first time to insure your success. Please note that the location name is used for information purposes only. You must enter your correct latitude and longitude to generate predictions valid for your location.


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Catalogue of Milky Way Globular Cluster Parameters


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Griffith Observatory

The Griffith Observatory has been a major Los Angeles landmark since 1935. It is visited by nearly two million people each year end ranks seventh on the list of major tourist attractions of Southern California. It sits on the southern slope of Mount Hollywood where it commands a stunning view of the Los Angeles basin below. Thousands of people enjoy the view from its balconies, especially at night.

The Observatory is owned, operated, and financed by the City of Los Angeles, Department of Recreation and Parks. It was a gift to the city by Col. Griffith J. Griffith (1850 - 1919), who also donated Griffith Park and the Greek Theatre. The Observatory is a non-profit educational institution whose purpose is to provide information on astronomy and related sciences to the public. It is not a research institution, although from time to time it carries out modest research projects.

The Observatory is divided into three main areas: the Hall of Science astronomy museum, the telescopes (see below), and the planetarium theater. All are open to the public and, except planetarium shows, are free of charge. The telescopes operate only when the sky is clear. Call (213) 664-1191 for a recorded message that gives operating hours and show times.

Click here for directions to the Observatory from nearby freeways.

Publicity photographs at high resolution are collected on a separate page along with information on filming at the Observatory (please read the film permit).

There is no charge for admission to the Observatory.


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The Halifax Planetarium 

The Halifax Planetarium has a long history, dating from its establishment in 1954 at the old Nova Scotia Museum of Science on Spring Garden Road and at the time was the first public planetarium in Canada. The Halifax Planetarium is now located in Dalhousie University's Sir James Dunn Physics Building. A map is here. 
Public shows are conducted on the 2nd and 4th Thursday evening of each month at 7:00 pm by volunteer members of the Halifax Centre of the RASC and The Atlantic Space Sciences Foundation. The shows are approximately one hour long and cover a wide range of astronomy related topics such as space exploration, the creation of the universe, the life of stars, and recognizing constellations. Regardless of the show topic, the presenter always shows the prominent constellations and planets in the current evening sky. Admission is free, donations to the Atlantic Space Sciences Foundation Inc. are appreciated. 

For further information on public shows, school or group booking inquiries, call Shawn Mitchell at 420-5833 (days) and 865-7026 (evenings).


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Hawaiian Astronomical Society, Home of Amateur Astronomy in Hawaii


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exoScience - Excellent On-line Astronomy News Site

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exoScience - Excellent On-line Astronomy News Site


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Astronomiae Historia / History of Astronomy
 About this image
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    Deutsche Fassung 

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Welcome to the first general History of Astronomy pages on the Web. These pages are maintained on behalf of Commission 41 (History of Astronomy) of the International Astronomical Union and the Working Group for the History of Astronomy in the Astronomische Gesellschaft.


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Space Telescope Science Institute

The Space Telescope Science Institute is the astronomical research center responsible for operating the Hubble Space Telescope as an international observatory.

The Space Telescope Science Institute is the astronomical research center responsible for operating the Hubble Space Telescope as an international observatory. The Steven Muller Building on The Johns Hopkins Homewood campus is the primary site which houses the Institute's staff and support facilities.

The Institute is staffed by astronomers, computer scientists, technicians and administrative staff from AURA, the European Space Agency (which is a partner with NASA on the Space Telescope Project), and the Computer Sciences Corporation. The Institute presently has a combined staff of approximately 500, of whom approximately 100 are Ph.D astronomers and scientists.

Launched April 24, 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope is the largest and most complex astronomical observatory ever placed in orbit. The telescope studies a wide range of astronomical phenomena. Located outside the distorting effects of Earth's atmosphere, Space Telescope allows astronomers to see the universe in greater detail than ever before.

The Hubble Space Telescope is expected to return a steady stream of scientific data for an expected lifetime of at least 15 years. Over that period, scientific observations using the telescope's unique capabilities will significantly increase our understanding of the origin, evolution, structure, and dynamics of our universe.

The Space Telescope Project represents the first step in establishing a permanent observational capability for astronomy in space. Following a recommendation by the National Academy of Sciences, NASA established the Space Telescope Science Institute to operate the Hubble Space Telescope as a major observatory for the world-wide astronomical community.


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The Best of the Hubble Space Telescope

Many great images


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Latest Hubble Space Telescope Observations 

The latest observations from the Hubble Telescope are here.  Check this link periodically to see new images

URLTitle:
Latest Hubble Space Telescope Observations


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The Astronomy Group here at The University of Western Ontario is small but very active in many areas of teaching and research. We heartily welcome all inquiries.


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The Earth Centered Universe
A Planetarium and Telescope Control Program for Windows 3.1 or 95


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Hyde Memorial Observatory 

Hyde Memorial Observatory is, as far as we know, 
the only observatory anywhere that is: 
Built, furnished and operated entirely by donations 
Devoted exclusively to public viewing 
Completely free of admission charge 
Staffed only by volunteers 
Hyde is open every Saturday evening, year round


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International Astronomical Union
Commission 22
(Meteors and Interplanetary Dust)


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Indiana University Astronomy Department

On your trip through the Web, we hope that you will linger here for a moment and ponder some of the mysteries of the Universe. This server is intended to disseminate astronomical information to the public and to provide information about and for the Indiana University Astronomy Department. 

For enrollment information or graduate school applications... brecords@astro.indiana.edu 

Astronomical questions may be directed to request@astro.indiana.edu


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The University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy (IfA), founded in 1967, is responsible for research and education in astronomy, and for the development and management of the Mauna Kea Science Reserve and the Haleakala High Altitude Observatory Site. It operates solar and laser-ranging facilities on Haleakala, and several observatories on Mauna Kea that are used for studies of the sun, planets, stars, galaxies, and cosmology.

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The University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy


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IAU Astronomical Headlines

This page contains brief information on recent astronomical discoveries as reported in the International Astronomical Union Circulars (IAUCs) (published by the Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams) and the Minor Planet Electronic Circulars (MPECs) (published by the Minor Planet Center), as well as links to ephemerides and orbital elements for comets and minor planets.


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Web services of  International Dark-Sky Association (IDA)


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The International Meteor Organization
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Introduction
The International Meteor Organization (IMO) was founded in 1988 and has more than 250 members now. IMO was created in response to an ever growing need for international cooperation of meteor amateur work. The collection of meteor observations by several methods from all around the world ensures the comprehensive study of meteor showers and their relation to comets and interplanetary dust.


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The International Occultation

Timing Association HomePage
Master Index


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ISTP

The International Solar-Terrestrial Physics (ISTP) project consists of a powerful complement of spacecraft, ground-based observatories and theoretical investigations aimed at studying the Sun-Earth system in a global context. Several of the ISTP missions however are able to divert their powerfull "eyes" toward Hale-Bopp, and to provide some unique comet observations.


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Automated Telescope Facility - University of Iowa

Welcome to the University of Iowa Automated Telescope Facility. The ATF is maintained by the undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty of the Department of Physics and Astronomy. The facility is also supported by grants from the National Science Foundation and The Iowa Space Grant Consortium.

The ATF is designed to be a useful tool for the internet community. The Automated Telescope is a seven inch Astrophysics refracting telescope, equipped with an HPC-1 CCD camera, located on the roof of Van Allen Hall in downtown Iowa City. This telescope is freely available for use by educators, scientists , and anyone else with an interest in astronomy. We currently support a growing internet observers group, and we invite you to visit the Remote Observers Page to get a better idea of what it's all about.


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Galaxy Photography
Astrophotography by Jason Ware


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Jeff Bondono's Home Page
enriching your astronomical surfing experience...
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 I'm a computer programmer by day and an avid amateur astronomer by night. I love to get out in the dark of the moon with the 14-3/8-inch scope I made and observe the deep-sky. Galaxies are my favorite, but I'll take whatever the sky feels like giving me. On cloudy or full moon nights, I dabble in Cosmology.


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CONSTELLATION PHOTOS

This is one of our newest hobbies. As is usually the case with most things, we are learning by trial and error. Where possible there are two pictures on each link: the actual photo of the constellation and another with the outline and major stars and points of interest identified. Some of the constellations are incomplete due to their size. Most photos were taken with a Minolta XG7 camera using 400ASA Fuji film and a 50mm lens. A few of the very small constellations were taken with a 90mm lens. Obtrusive lighting effects brought to you by our next door neighbors, Bob and Wanda. (When trying to explain to them the importance of darkness while photographing night skies we were told, "We have two stars every night; one in the front and one in the backyard."  Members of  the International Dark-Sky Association are welcome to send them tons of  literature.)


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Kennedy Space Center

Welcome to the John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) center of excellence for launch and payload processing. We are responsible for the checkout, launch and landing of the Space Shuttle and its payloads. As the starting point for all U.S. human space flights, Kennedy Space Center, located near Cape Canaveral in Florida, has a highly visible and exciting mission which draws worldwide attention anytime, anywhere. Its unique facilities have also made it a world leader in processing and launching spacecraft that have explored and studied the Earth, the Moon, the planets in our solar system, and the farthest boundaries of our universe. 

While these achievements have fired the imaginations of people throughout the world and enriched the lives of millions, they are only a beginning in our exploration of space. Elements of the International Space Station are undergoing final flight preparations here before being launched aboard the Shuttle for on-orbit assembly. The center's personnel also provide management and technical expertise for the launch of NASA unmanned missions from adjacent Cape Canaveral Air Station and Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. 

Now and in the future, as NASA proceeds toward commercialization of the Space Shuttle and related technologies, KSC will focus on cutting-edge engineering that will help meet the Agency's objectives and customers' needs for faster, better, cheaper development and operations of space systems. 

Enjoy your visit of America's space program with us through cyberspace. 

Roy D. Bridges, Jr.


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Mohammad Odeh's Home Page

I would like to introduce myself as Mohammad Shawkat Odeh. I come from Nablus city in Palestine . I was born on March 6,1979 in Kuwait , and now I live in Amman , the capital of Jordan . I'm studying Mechanical Engineering at Jordan University of Science and Technology (J.U.S.T.) in the second year. Astronomy is my best hobby, I'm a member of The Jordanian Astronomical Society (JAS) .


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Jose Torres CCD Astronomy Page

Hi, welcome to my web page.
The images which you will find in this page were obtained with:

The Equipment
MEADE LX 200 - 10" scope working at f 3.3 (reducer by OPTEC).
The CCD camera is an ST7 by SBIG.
Micron Pentium Pro 200 Computer

The Software
SkyPro by Software Bisque
The Sky by Software Bisque
Hidden Image by Sehgal Co.
PhotoShop, PhotoStyler by Adobe


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The Journal of the British Astronomical Association

For 108 years the Journal has published the observations and work of BAA members. It also contains many other articles and items of interest to all amateur astronomers. It is published six times a year, and sent free to all full members of the Association. (For subscription details for non-members, please contact the BAA office.)

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Journal of the British Astronomical Association


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Project Galileo: Bringing Jupiter to Earth

Welcome to the Project Galileo Home Page! Check out our extensive collection of just-released images and data from Jupiter, read a brief introduction to the mission, and join the excitement as we take you through Galileo's exploration of our solar system's largest planet.

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Project Galileo: Bringing Jupiter to Earth


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Transit Times of Jupiter's Great Red Spot
By Alan MacRobert

Adapted from Sky & Telescope

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Transit Times of Jupiter's Great Red Spot


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Galilean Satellite Eclipse Timings 

Anthony Mallama 
CCD photometry of Jupiter's Galilean satellite eclipses was begun in 1990. The observations have resulted in accurate, up-to-date timings for these phenomena, and observed minus calculated (O - C) values for the four satellite ephemerides: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. The timings are summarized in a text file of observed eclipses. 

This line of research has also been used to measure Jupiter's radius and polar flattening, detect aerosols in the planet's atmosphere from the crash of comet Shoemaker-Levy 9, improve the Galilean satellite ephemerides, and help locate the positions of volcanoes on Io. More details can be found in a book you can order and in our journal publications.


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KaffeeHaus - The Planetarium in the Web 
 What I can see this night?


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Welcome to the homepage of Rick Hudson.

This page serves as little more than an index of the pages where the goodies are.


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Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas
Observatorio Astronómico de La Plata

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Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas


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Laboratory for Astronomy & Solar Physics 
 
The broad goals of the Laboratory for Astronomy and Solar Physics are to conceive and implement space research in the fields of UV/optical astronomy, infrared/submillimeter/radio astronomy, and solar physics; to perform basic research through observational and theoretical studies; to act as a focal point for conception and implementation of innovative technology and space-borne instrumentation; to provide experimental, scientific, operational, and archival expertise to NASA flight programs; and to work closely with the scientific community in these discipline areas to enable effective research with space flight instrumentation.

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Laboratory for Astronomy & Solar Physics


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Lacaille's "Catalogue of Nebulae of the Southern Sky"

Lacaille (Abbe Nicholas Louis de la Caille, 1713--1762) compiled a catalog of 3 times 14 nebulous objects, of which 8 are non-existent though (although Vehrenberg gives a NGC number for one of them). Lacaille classified his objects in 3 categories: Lac I  Nebulae
 
Lac II  Nebulous Star Clusters
 
Lac III  Nebulous Stars

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Catalogue of Nebulae of the Southern Sky


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International Leonid Watch homepage

These pages are an international podium for amateur and professionalastronomers, a bulletin board dedicated to the Leonid meteors. Contributions are to be directed to: mailbox ILW The webmasters decide which messages are posted.


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The Sky I hate - and the Sky I love..
 Unfortunately, an undisturbed sky is no longer an experience possible for everybody. Amateur Astronomers and Wildlife Associations worldwide regard the increasing light pollution with increasing concern. Electric energy is wasted irrespective of world wide concern on CO2 pollution.

Bad street illumination is clearly visible even from space satellites (click for a nightphoto of Europe), and a new age of sky commercials has started. During the second world war, long range searchlights were applied to detect air-crafts attacking during night time. 

Today, modern versions of these searchlights are successfully applied by an increasing number of companies for advertising.


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Limiting magnitude

Limiting magnitude is used to evaluate the quality of observing conditions. It tells the magnitude of the faintest star visible by naked eye. The limiting magnitude could also be observed by some instrument. It describes well the transparency. As fainter stars are visible, as better the transparency is. 

Limiting magnitude is used eg. in meteor and deep sky observations. It can be used also to approximate light pollution.


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LIVERPOOL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY
Registered as a Charitable Educational Trust - No 519955.

The Society's aims are the same as when it was formed in 1881- 
i.e. " To promote the science of Astronomy primarily in Liverpool and the neigbourhood thereof"


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The Sidewalk Astronomers Homepage 

Hello! and Welcome! You have reached the homepage for the Los Angeles Sidewalk Astronomers. We are a non-profit organization dedicated to public service in Astronomy, co-founded in 1968 by John Dobson in San Francisco, California.


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LUNAR ECLIPSE FINDER

*Information for your location on lunar eclipses, etc from the USNO On-line page


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I am a participant in the Association of Lunar & Planetary Observers Lunar Selected Areas Program. This page spotlights several of the features under study.

Bill O'Connell


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SEDS - Students for the Exploration and Development of Space
Hosted by the University of Arizona Chapter at the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory


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Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) 

The Lunar and Planetary Institute is a focus for academic participation in studies of the current state, evolution, and formation of the solar system. The Institute is housed in the USRA Center for Advanced Space Studies (CASS), and includes a computing center, extensive collections of lunar and planetary data, an image-processing facility, a scientific visualization facility, an extensive library, publishing services, and facilities for workshops and conferences.


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Welcome to Lund Observatory in Sweden, also the department of astronomy at the Lund University. 
General information on the observatory is available in English and in Swedish . 
Our telephone number is +46 46 2227300. For individual numbers, see our staff list. 
We also have popular information in Swedish.


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Manchester Astronomical Society

Founded originally as the North Western Branch of the British Astronomical Association in 1892, the Manchester Astronomical Society, following its change of name and emphasis as a local society in 1903, can justifiably claim to have the longest continuous history of any provincial astronomical society in England.


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Mars 96

The main scientific objectives of this mission was to investigate theevolution and contemporary physics of Mars, and to make, using various methods, a wide range of comprehensive studies of those physical and chemical processes which took place in the past and which continue there now.The payload of the Mars96 orbiter included 24 scientific instruments to study the Martian surface, the inner structure of the planet, its atmosphere, and its plasma envelope,as well as instruments for astrophysical studies. The spacecraft launch was performed in November 1996 with the following components onboard:  
 An Orbiter. 
 Two Small autonomous stations to be landed on the surface of Mars. 
 Two Penetrators to analyse the underlying surface layers. 
 Different Instruments


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Atlas of Mars - and Viking Orbiter image-finder
 
This is the first (but not the latest and greatest, for most purposes) WWW-browsable, zoomable and scrollable atlas of Mars. It lets you choose a site by various means and will show the locations (as footprints) of thousands of high-resolution Viking Orbiter images.

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Atlas of Mars - and Viking Orbiter image-finder


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Mars Meteorites
 

Of the 20,000 meteorites that have been discovered on Earth, only 12 have been identified as originating from the planet Mars. These rare meteorites have recently created a stir throughout the world when NASA announced in August 1996 that evidence of microfossils may be present in one of these Mars meteorites. 

Photos of 11 of the 12 known Mars meteorites are provided below. I am still looking for a photograph of the Yamato Mars meteorite, and I would appreciate it if anyone can send me an image to help complete the set (baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov). Some of these photos are of Mars meteorites from my own personal collection. I have six different Mars meteorites in my collection, and it is one of the few private collections in the world that includes a meteorite from each of the three Mars meteorite subgroups (SNC): shergottite, nakhilite, and the extremely rare chassignite. 

The meteorites listed below are listed in the order that they were found. It is interesting to note that the last six Mars meteorites discovered were from the Antarctic.The last Mars meteorite found outside of the Antarctic was the Zagami meteorite which fell in Nigeria in 1962.


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Welcome to the Mars Missions, Year 2000 and Beyond!


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Planetary image finders

Note:  This page is dedicated to listing the best sources of high-resolution, often unprocessed images, for each planet or moon. If you are interested in seeing just a few good pictures of a planet or moon, or in information about them, try one of these other resources: 
My comparison of planet and moon sizes (HTML3 browsers only). 
My Never Ending Quiz, which can generate random quiz questions, complete with images. [Back online as of August 15, 1997.] 
"Welcome to the Planets" [PDS] 
"Views of the Solar System" [Calvin Hamilton, formerly of Los Alamos] 
"The Nine Planets" [Bill Arnet] 
NSSDC Photo Gallery 
JPL Solar System Visualizations 
PDS Solar System Photojournal 
Voyager project 

Each of them includes a number of processed color images of each world, carefully selected either for visual appeal or to illustrate an interesting feature of the world pictured. Each of them also includes educational summaries. (Each also has mirror sites around the world.) 
The browsers on this list are oriented more for people studying specific sites, looking for detailed maps, or trying to locate high-resolution unprocessed images.


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Welcome to the PDS

The Planetary Data System (PDS) archives and distributes digital data from past and present NASA planetary missions, astronomical observations, and laboratory measurements. The PDS is sponsored by NASA's Office of Space Science to ensure the long-term usability of data, to stimulate research, to facilitate data access, and to support correlative analysis.


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Welcome to the 1996-1997 MarsWatch Homepage!

Linking Amateur and Professional Mars Observing Communities for Observational Support of the Mars Pathfinder Mission


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MARS ROX - Jim Bell Home Page

Cool animations


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Welcome to The Daily Martian Weather Report. The launch of the Mars Global Surveyor from the Cape Canaveral Air Station took place on November 7, 1996. After a ten-month cruise to Mars, the MGS spacecraft executed its orbit insertion maneuver on September 12, 1997. The period of the initial orbit of Mars was nearly two days. The original mission plan called for a three- to four-month aerobraking sequence to modify the orbit to one suitable for mapping the red planet. The mapping phase of the mission was originally scheduled to begin in the Spring of 1998, and to continue for one complete martian year (687 days).

Unfortunately, problems with one of the two MGS solar panels have forced the aerobraking sequence to proceed more slowly than planned. The current target for the beginning of the mapping phase of the mission is March, 1999. It is hoped that the duration of the mapping phase will still be one full martian year.

The Mars Global Surveyor Radio Science Team is conducting a detailed study of the martian atmosphere, and results from their study are being presented on this site in the form of a daily weather report for the planet Mars. The precision of the atmospheric measurements is extraordinary. The geometry of the intermediate MGS orbit was suitable to begin the acquisition of data from the martian atmosphere at the end of January, 1998. The Team continued to acquire martian meteorological data until the middle of April. The MGS Radio Science Team is hoping to begin a second martian meteorological "campaign" in November. The bulk of the martian atmospheric data, however, will be acquired during the mapping phase of the MGS mission which begins in March, 1999.

During the first martian meteorological campaign, late weather readings were posted within a day or so of the acquisition of raw data on each MGS orbit! Additional weather readings will be posted when new results are available. Make it a point to check back in and see how the climate of the red planet evolves from day to day and season to season. Selected atmospheric temperature and pressure profiles have also been posted. These profiles illustrate the vertical structure of the atmosphere of Mars and provide the basis for the surface meteorological observations.


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Martz Observatory

& Martz Astronomical Association, Inc.
176 Robin Hill Road ---- Frewsburg, NY 14738

Mailing Address: 120 E. 3rd St. ---- Jamestown, NY 14701


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Images of the comet Hale-Bopp and other astronomical objects

taken by Gianluca Masi, Ceccano (FR) Italy

This site presents several images of the great comet Hale-Bopp taken by Gianluca Masi with a little telescope, lenses and a CCD camera. For more information about this and other comets, you can use the links given at the end of this page. Images of other astronomical objects are presented here. I will appreciate very much your opinion about this website, please write me.


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Mauna Kea Observatories

The Mauna Kea Observatories are located at an altitude of 4,200 meters, near the summit of Mauna Kea on the island of Hawaii (the "Big Island"), the largest of the Hawaiian Islands. Click on the domes in the photograph above to identify each telescope and find basic information about it. The Submillimeter Array is under construction in the foreground at the extreme left, and the Gemini Northern 8-meter Telescope is under construction on the ridge at right center. The Hawaii antenna of the Very Long Baseline Array is located about 2 miles from the summit, and is not shown in this photograph. The true summit of Mauna Kea may be seen at the extreme right of this photograph. More photographs may be viewed in our aerial tour of Mauna Kea Observatories.
Mauna Kea ("White Mountain") is a dormant volcano on the island of Hawaii (the "Big Island"), the southernmost island in the State of Hawaii. It is located about 300 km (186 miles) from the capital city, Honolulu, on the island of Oahu. The highest point in the Pacific Basin and the highest island-mountain in the world, Mauna Kea rises 9,750 meters (32,000 ft) from the ocean floor to an altitude of 4,205 meters (13,796 ft) above sea level, which places its summit above 40 percent of the Earth's atmosphere. The broad volcanic landscape of the summit area is made up of cinder cones on a lava plateau.

Mauna Kea is unique as an astronomical observing site. The atmosphere above Mauna Kea is extremely dry - which is important in measuring infrared and submillimeter radiation through the atmosphere - and cloud-free, so that the proportion of clear nights is among the highest in the world. The exceptional stability of the atmosphere at Mauna Kea permits more detailed studies than are possible elsewhere, while its distance from city lights and a strong island-wide lighting ordinance insure an extremely dark sky, allowing observation of the faintest galaxies that lie on the very edge of the observable Universe. A tropical inversion cloud layer about 600 meters (2,000 ft) thick, well below the summit, isolates the upper atmosphere from the lower moist maritime air and ensures that the summit skies are pure, dry, and free from atmospheric pollutants.

The University of Hawaii has a lease from the State of Hawaii for all land within a 2.5-mile radius of the site of the UH 2.2-m Telescope (approximately the land above 12,000 feet elevation), except for the portions of this circular area which lie within the Mauna Kea Ice Age Natural Area Reserve. The leased land is known as the Mauna Kea Science Reserve and comprises 11,216 acres. In addition to developing its own research program, the IfA has provided the scientific impetus for the development of Mauna Kea into the world's premier site for ground-based astronomical observatories. More major telescopes are located on Mauna Kea than on any other single mountain peak, and Mauna Kea is widely recognized as offering better observations for optical, infrared and millimeter/submillimeter measurements than any other developed site.


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THE MESSIER CATALOG - Awesome images !

 During the years from 1758 to 1782 Charles Messier, a French astronomer (1730 - 1817), compiled a list of approximately 100 diffuse objects that were difficult to distinguish from comets through the telescopes of the day. Discovering comets was the way to make a name for yourself in astronomy in the 18th century -- Messier's aim was to catalog the objects that were often mistaken for comets. 
Fortunately for us, the Messier Catalog became well known for a much higher purpose, as a collection of the most beautiful objects in the sky including nebulae, star clusters, and galaxies. It was one of the first major milestones in the history of the discovery of Deep Sky objects, as it was the first more comprehensive and more reliable list: Only four objects were initially missing because of data reduction errors, which could be figured out later though. Today's versions of the catalog usually include also later additions of objects observed by Messier and his collegial friend, Pierre Mechain, but not included in his original list. The study of these objects by astronomers has, and continues to, lead to important, incredible discoveries such as the life cycles of stars, the reality of galaxies as separate 'island universes,' and the possible age of the universe. 

The purpose of these web pages is to provide a complete guide to the 110 objects recognized as the standard Messier catalog. More importantly, we would like to generate interest in astronomy, the night sky and the universe beyond us, and to encourage a sense of wonder and exploration. We also hope that these pages may be useful as a reference for amateur astronomers. 

For each object, an image is presented together with a short description; click on the image to get a larger-format version. In addition to the images, we have also included some data on these objects such as celestial position (right ascension in hours and minutes [h:s], declination in degrees and minutes [deg:s]), apparent visual brightness in magnitudes [mag], apparent (angular) diameter in arc minutes [arc min], and approximate distance in thousands of light-years (kilo-light years [kly] please note that the decimal point in the distance does not represent true accuracy). Also, we have constellation images which show Messier and NGC (New General Catalog) objects down to 12th magnitude. 

Our Messier database has been updated throughout to HTML 2.0, and is steadily evolving into HTML 3. In order to enjoy the full comfort of this HTML level, we recommend to use the most recent release of Netscape (2.01 or 3.X), IBM's OS/2 WebExplorer (1.03, 1.1X, or 1.2), or other HTML 3 compliant browser to view these pages. However, at least for now, we try to restrict ourselves to the strict and pure HTML standards and don't plan to add proprietary features of certain browsers, e.g. Netscape's extras (frames). Moreover, we try to keep the pages appealing (or at least readable) under less advanced browsers such as Mosaic (or even Lynx); please complain if your browser has certain problems ! 

We thank all who have expressed interest in these pages, and have sent us e-mail with suggestions and corrections. The contributions of others have significantly influenced what the pages are now. We hope to further approach the state of a top-of-the line resource with in-depth information including object descriptions, "star-hop" techniques to easily locate the objects with small telescopes, and more. If you'd like to help us to improve our database, please also check our request for information list which contains those data which most urgently need to be confirmed, improved, or contributed. 

These pages were created, with the help of many volunteers, by Guy McArthur, Mark Elowitz, Hartmut Frommert and Christine Kronberg. Hartmut Frommert <spider@seds.org> is currently maintaining this service and responsible for the current contents (especially any errors). If you have anything to contribute, or find any errors, please e-mail me. Any constructive feedback is highly appreciated!


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Messier deep space objects 

Thanks to H. S. Teoh who arranged the Messier objects list by object type: nebulae, clusters, galaxies, and other kinds of objects not under any major category.


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CCD Images of Messier Objects: 

These objects were discovered in the 18th century and were catalogued so that eyeball observers using small telescopes would not confuse them wi4h comets. With the naked eye as a detector, most of these objects appear as dim grayish blobs. They are considered a challenge to find for many amateur astronomers. These objects are generally of large angular size and hence larger than the typical field of view of many CCD detector systems; hence CCD images of these objects are somewhat rare compared to photographic ones. In this resource, we offer CCD images of many of these objects, taken with a variety of different telescopes, along with a description or narration of brief facts about them. Where appropriate we have linked additional images or diagrams to further explain their properties or structure.


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The Messier Picture Gallery

The Messier catalogue consists of 110 astronomical objects. 
Everyone can enjoy the beauty of our universe by just watching them. Enjoy it ...


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Meteors and the Native Americans
By Gary W. Kronk

For decades astronomers have reaped the values of written records kept for over 2500 years in China and Europe. Eclipses, planets, and comets are mentioned and have brought about refinements to our current understanding of the long-term motion of these bodies‹especially for comets such as Halley and Swift-Tuttle. Several meteor showers have also been identified which brought about a better understanding of their evolution as well.


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Meteor Storm Hazard - Risk Assessment
The MSH program is part of the VLBI, Satellite and Space Debris Tracking and Imaging program 

The threat from meteoroid impacts is just one of the hazards faced by a satellites during its mission lifetime. The general, sporadic background level of meteoric activity is now well understood, but the potential threat due to collisions with meteoroids from annual streams, and during meteor storms is presently unclear. The Meteor Storm Hazard program has been established to assess the near-term likelihood of meteor storms and to develop analytic tools to study the meteor storm threat.


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The Meteorite Exchange Inc

The threat from meteoroid impacts is just one of the hazards faced by a satellites during its mission lifetime. The general, sporadic background level of meteoric activity is now well understood, but the potential threat due to collisions with meteoroids from annual streams, and during meteor storms is presently unclear. The Meteor Storm Hazard program has been established to assess the near-term likelihood of meteor storms and to develop analytic tools to study the meteor storm threat.


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IAU: Minor Planet Center

The Minor Planet Center (MPC) operates at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, under the auspices of Commission 20 of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and is a nonprofit organization, with principal funding coming from subscriptions to the various services offered by the Center. The MPC is responsible for the efficient collection, (computation,) checking and dissemination of astrometric observations and orbits for minor planets and comets, via the Minor Planet Circulars (issued monthly) and the Minor Planet Electronic Circulars (issued as necessary).


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Mt John University Observatory
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Director: Prof. John Hearnshaw, Department of Physics and Astronomy 

Head of Department: Dr. R W G Syme, Head, Department of Physics and Astronomy 

Resident Superintendent: A C Gilmore 

Technician-Observer: P M Kilmartin 

Technicial Officer: E J A Baker 

Technician: S E Barlow

Contact address and telephone number
Mt John University Observatory
P O Box 56
Lake Tekapo
New Zealand.
Tel : +64 (3) 680 6000
Fax : +64 (3) 680 6005 
Facilities 
Safety and House keeping rules... MUST be read by ALL users 
Applying for Telescope Time


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Mount Stomlo and Siding Spring Observatories
Institute of Advanced Studies Australian National University


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dObjects is an astronomical database and observing log program which runs under Windows 95 and Windows NT. It includes a database of over 34,000 astronomical deep-sky objects. In addition to the standard observing information about the objects, dObjects' database includes references to popular astronomical magazines, books, and internet resources, information you have about objects within your computer, and the Internet. A Web Services feature lets you view the digitized Palomar Sky Survey easily, and communicates with other servers keeping you up-to-date on the most recent web references to objects. An extremely flexible means of object selection, sorting, and reporting make dObjects the ideal tool for planning observing sessions, logging your observations and finding information about the objects of interest to you.


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Mount Wilson Observatory

Much of our understanding of the Universe came from research done at this facility. Located just outside Pasadena, California, in the San Gabriel Mountains, the Observatory has a heritage of major contributions dating from the beginning of this century, and continues to remain at the forefront of observational astronomy and astrophysics. Meteorological conditions above the Los Angeles Basin provide the best circumstances for astronomical observations on the North American continent


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Nasa's Planetary PhotoJournal

This service, developed as a collaboration between NASA's Planetary Data System Imaging Node, the Solar System Visualization Project,and JPL's Public Information Office, is designed to provide you with easy access to the publicly released images from various Solar System exploration programs. The system database is currently populated with approximately 1200 images; more are being added every day.


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Lewis Research Center - Public Affairs
Cleveland, Ohio

For over 50 years, the NASA Lewis Research Center has been conducting research and technology programs critical to the Nation's aeronautics and space goals. Today, Lewis is NASA's Center of Excellence in aircraft propulsion, space power, commercial communications, propulsion systems and microgravity science. Lewis is also responsible for NASA's intermediate and large expendible (unmanned) launch vehicle programs. 

NASA and its Public Affairs Offices (PAO) are committed to fulfill our charge to "inform the public as widely as possible about agency activities and their benefits." The World Wide Web is a unique forum through which we can do this. At NASA Lewis, the Public Affairs function is carried out by the Office of Community and Media Relations. We hope you find the information we provide to be useful to your purposes.


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NASA Lewis Research Center
Cleveland, Ohio

NASA and its Public Affairs Offices (PAO) are committed to fulfill our charge to "inform the public as widely as possible about agency activities and their benefits." The World Wide Web is a unique forum through which we can do this. At NASA Lewis, the Public Affairs function is carried out by the Office of Community and Media Relations. We hope you find the information we provide to be useful to your purposes.


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National Optical Astronomy Observatories

NOAO is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), Inc. under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation


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Near Live Comet Watching

This system was designed to allow individuals on the Web to view very recently uploaded images of comet Hale-Bopp. Hopefully, at any given time, someone on the night side of earth will be imaging Hale-Bopp and be able to upload images soon after obtaining them. Sequences such as an image every 5 or 10 minutes for the duration of an observing session would be great for observing changing events and measuring motion! This is what we are hoping for. If you have equipment capable of imaging the comet, you are welcome and encouraged to register as an "Uploader". Click on the "Register to upload images" link to the lower right and fill out the form. It would be greatly appreciated if observatories monitoring the comet would participate too. This system, if successful, could be used by other groups for other Astronomical purposes such as a "Mars Watch" program or the like.


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The New England Light Pollution Advisory Group

The New England Light Pollution Advisory Group (NELPAG) is a volunteer group founded during the autumn of 1993 for the purpose of educating the public on the virtues of efficient, glare-free outdoor night lighting. The NELPAG sponsors irregular meetings throughout the New England region that bring together lighting engineers, physicians, power utility representatives, government officials, astronomers, journalists, and the general public for discussion of improvement in outdoor night lighting. The goals of the NELPAG have been to provide resources to people involved in outdoor lighting issues, from state and city/town officials discussing the implementation of laws and bylaws, to utility companies who are concerned with street lighting, to ordinary people interested in lighting their store parking lot (or even their driveway or yard).

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New England Light Pollution Advisory Group


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Welcome to Larry's  NGC, IC,& other Objects!


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The NGC/IC Project

     
   
  
  
  
  
     
  
 
Mission of the project 
The NGC/IC Project is a collaborative effort between professional and amateur astronomers working together to correctly identify all of the original NGC and IC objects, starting with the original discoverer's notes and working forward in time to encompass the work of contemporary astronomers, both professional and amateur, such that the identity of each of the NGC and IC objects is known with as much certainty as we can reasonably bring to it from the existing historical record. 
In so doing, we shall collect images for each object and assemble basic data for the objects -- positions, classifications, photometric parameters (magnitudes, diameters, position angles, colors, etc), and distances -- insofar as the data are accessible


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The Interactive NGC Catalog Online

This is the interactive NGC (and IC, and Messier) catalog at SEDS, based on the famous NGC 2000.0 by R.W. Sinnott of Sky Publishing Corp., who also created the electronic version used by this online service (thanks to Sky Publishing for permitting us this kind of use). The HTML interface and its features were created by Hartmut Frommert. Thanks to Bill Arnett for helpful hints and support, and the admins of SEDS who provided the appropriate hardware and software basis for this service. 
The NGC and its supplements IC I and IC II were originally compiled by J.L.E. Dreyer and published 1887 (NGC), 1895 (IC I) and 1907 (IC II). It contains open and globular star clusters (and some asterisms), diffuse and planetary nebulae, supernova remnants, galaxies of all types (and some knots in bright galaxies), and some erroneous entries corresponding to no objects at all. 

You will get the NGC 2000.0 data for each NGC, IC, or Messier object. In addition, you get a link for downloading an image from the Digital Sky Survey for each object. If available, you will also get a link to some descriptive HTML page, and an image of the object. 

Please type in the NGC number (either as number only, or preceded by 'NGC' or 'N'), or the IC number preceded by 'IC' or 'I', or the Messier number preceded by 'M', of the object you'd like to find. Some browsers (e.g., Lynx) require that you hit a key ('s' or 'S' for Lynx) to activate the input line.


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NGC Images on the Net

Table of Contents 
NGC 5 through NGC 1982 
NGC 2023 through NGC 3995 
NGC 4027 through NGC 5904 
NGC 6093 through NGC 7793 
Appendix: NGC Additions


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SPA Aurora Section
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Noctilucent clouds (popularly referred to by the abbreviation "NLC") are high atmosphere clouds which occur over summertime at mid latitude locations. They form at very high altitudes - around 82 km above sea level - and are, thus, a quite separate phe menon from normal weather or tropospheric cloud. They appear as thin streaks of "cloud", often a pearly-blue colour, reminiscent of "mares-tail" cirrus cloud formations.
NLC's can be seen from around mid May to early August during the darkest part of a summer's night when the Sun is between 6 - 16 degrees below the horizon. Typically, they will occupy the northern horizon, along the twilight arch, extending to an altit e of 10 - 15 degrees. Over the NLC "season" the bright star Capella dominates this part of the sky and serves as a good marker for the NLC observer.

Observations of NLC remain of great value to professional scientists studying upper-atmosphere phenomena. Useful observations are very easy to make and require no special equipment. The following information lists the important details you should include in your report...

LOCATION: Give the latitude and longitude of the place observations were made. Alternatively, give the name of the nearest town or city.
 
DATE: Use the "double-date" convention as used in reporting aurorae. That is, "June 21-22" would refer to the night of the 21st and the early hours of the 22nd.
 
TIME: Try to use universal time (UT) even though British Summer Time (BST) will be in civil use for UK observers. Remember, UT = GMT = BST - 1 hour.


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noctilucent cloud Observer's Homepage

Noctilucent Cloud is an unusual phenomenon of the Earth's upper-atmosphere. They are most often seen at times close to the summer solstice, when they appear against the backdrop of deep evening twilights.
These pages offer a basic introduction to the standard techniques used when observing and reporting Noctilucent Cloud (NLC). The site also acts as a reporting location for Internet users, allowing an exchange of information as each NLC season progresses. Visitors are invited to contribute any such material and participate in the site’s development


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North American Meteor Network (NAMN)

Welcome to the North American Meteor Network homepage-dedicated to coverage of sporadic and meteor shower activity.


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Novagraphics Space Art Gallery is the world's first and largest gallery devoted to space art. This unique artwork is not only stunningly beautiful, but it often represents careful research by specialized artists to render an accurate, realistic scene of someplace they have never been and willnever see.


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Galaxy - The professional's guide to the world of Information


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Welcome to the Omaha Astronomical Society WEB Page!

The Omaha Astronomical Society (OAS) is a private, non-profit organization chartered by the state of Nebraska. OAS is dedicated to promoting Astronomy and the education of the public and is open to anyone interested.


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Pedro Re's Astronomical CCD Imaging Page

URLTitle:
Pedro Re's Astronomical CCD Imaging Page


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Astrophotography

and a little Jupiter stuff

by Peter Dove


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Philip's Astrophotography - Part 1 
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Yes, I admit it....I've got my eyes on the stars above. The recent apparition of Comet Hale-Bopp encouraged me to try my hand at astrophotograpy. To see and learn more about recently-departed Comet Hale-Bopp and astronomy in general, check out Topi Tuomi's Backyard Astronomy Page. 

The local astronomy club, of which I am a member, the Oglethorpe Astronomical Association, also has its own web page. Check it out for computer-generated star charts and local activities. Also, Becky Lowder of the Statesboro Astronomy Club is very active with her organization. 

Check my good friend Andy Backburn's new Astronomy/Astrophotography Webpage. Strange how his star background closely resembles the one on this page.....Hmmmmmmm. 

In case you decide to venture into the strange world of astrophotography (inhabited by even stranger creatures armed with old 35mm cameras), read my next page entitled- 

Things to Remember For The Would-Be Astrophotographer 

For additional astronomy links, go to my list of favorite sites on my personal page. 

Keep in mind, however, that this astrophotographer has only been clicking away since mid-March, 1997. I am still learning the vagaries of my Olympus OM-2, which I absolutely love. 

But lets not get ahead of ourselves.....look at the pretty pictures first!!


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Planetary image finders

Note: 
This page is dedicated to listing the best sources of high-resolution, often unprocessed images, for each planet or moon. If you are interested in seeing just a few good pictures of a planet or moon, or in information about them, try one of these other resources


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Planetary Nebula Sampler 

A planetary nebula forms when a star can no longer support itself by fusion reactions in its center. The gravity from the material in the outer part of the star takes its inevitable toll on the structure of the star, and forces the inner parts to condense and heat up. The high temperature central regions drive the outer half of the star away in a brisk stellar wind, lasting a few thousand years. When the process is complete, the remaining core remnant is uncovered and heats the now distant gases and causes them to glow. 
Despite the name, these objects have nothing in common with "planets". They do, however, represent the likely final episode of the Sun's existence as a star. It is estimated that there are about 10,000 planetary nebulae in our galaxy, so they are a relatively common, although short-lived phase (about 25,000 years) of the stellar life cycle.


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The Planetary Science Institute

Welcome to the Planetary Science Institute's home page. The Planetary Science Institute (PSI) is a non-profit organization (a division of San Juan Capistrano Research Institute) that conducts a wide variety of basic research in planetary science and allied fields. Established in Tucson, Arizona, in 1972, the Institute has a number of multi-faceted research programs in planetary astronomy, lunar and planetary geology, and planetary geophysics and dynamics. PSI currently emphasizes Mars, satellites, asteroids, and comets, as well as the origin of planets. Our scientists have participated in NASA spacecraft missions, such as Mariner 9, Viking, Mars Observer, Galileo, and NEAR, and are presently involved in the Mars Global Surveyor mission. We also regularly use many of the world's ground-based observatories


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The Planetary Society

The Planetary Society is your connection to the exploration of the cosmos and the search for extraterrestrial life and intelligence. Check out our latest headline articles, with news about Mars exploration, comet and asteroid discoveries, and more.


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The Prairie Astronomy Club

The Prairie Astronomy Club was founded in 1961 as a non-profit organization dedicated to encouraging the study of Astronomy and related subjects for the benefit of its members and the general public. The club presently has over 80 members with a wide variety of interests ranging from simple naked-eye sky gazing to deep-sky objects, variable star observing, and the use of computers. The club holds monthly meetings open to the general public on THE LAST TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH, unless the date conflicts with a major holiday. The meetings are held at 7:30 p.m. at the HYDE MEMORIAL OBSERVATORY located in HOLMES PARK in southeast LINCOLN, NEBRASKA. Each meeting consists of a short business session, planning for upcoming events, and one or two short programs followed by refreshments and conversation. The following list of recent programs shows the variety of topics and interests that the meetings provide:


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Princeton Pulsar Group

The Princeton Pulsar Group is part of the Gravity Group in the Department of Physics at Princeton University. We are particularly interested in studies of radio pulsars, with active research efforts aimed at high precision timing, studies of the pulsar emission mechanism, and, of course, the continuing search for new pulsars.


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CYBERSCIENCES - La science et la technologie pour tous


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QMW Astronomy Unit

Located in the School of Mathematical Sciences at Queen Mary and Westfield College, the Astronomy Unit is a centre for research and postgraduate teaching. Research areas in the Astronomy Unit include Astrophysical Fluids and Stellar Dynamics, Cosmology, Gravitation, Solar and Stellar Physics, Solar System Bodies and Dynamics, and Space Plasma Physics.


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Riverside Astronomical Society

The Riverside Astronomical Society (RAS) is incorporated as a non-profit organization with its members devoted to bringing the joys of astronomy to the public.


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Robert Reeves' Celestial Photography 

A sampling of celestial images taken by Robert Reeves with the 8-inch Schmidt camera at the Von Braun Photographic Station


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The UC Santa Barbara Astrophysics Project
WELCOME to our Astrophysics Web site at the Physics department of UCSB.

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The UC Santa Barbara Astrophysics Project


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RAAP Image Request Form

Let us suppose that Cheryl Messier wants an image of the Orion Nebula. She thinks it would be good on a 35 second exposure and is interested in examining it in the I band (infrared). She decides on Gain 4 because this is not an extremely bright object. She has been keeping a record of her image requests and knows that this is her 42nd. Her file request would look like this:

FIRSTNAME  : Cheryl
LASTNAME   : Messier
EMAIL      : messier@ast.cam.ac.uk.edu
TITLE      : Orion Nebula
SCHOOL     : Santa Barbara High School
RA         : 05 35 24
DEC        : 05 27 00 South
TIME       : 35.0
FILTER1    : 8 Empty
FILTER2    : 3 I-Band
GAIN       : 4
COMMENT    : Also known as NGC 1976
This file gives all of the necessary data. When she downloads later, she will download the file whose name was given to her, right after she submitted the request. In this case, the name was CHEMES42.ZIP which, when decompressed, contains CHEMES42.FTS (the image), and CHEMES42.REQ (the original request). Darks and Flats will also be available here, or on the BBS (805-893-2650) for downloading.


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Royal Astronomical Society - Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1V 0NL


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The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada
La Société Royale d'Astronomie du Canada
Dedicated to the Advancement of Astronomy and Allied Sciences

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The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada


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The Ryerson Astronomical Society's quintessential purpose is to encourage all humanity to behold the celestial luminaries in hushed awe.
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A little introduction about ourselves...
Its beginnings lost in the misty shrouds of history, the RAS has existed at least since the Great Depression, and possibly as early as the turn of the century as a student organization at the University of Chicago. We operate a 97 year-old 6.25-inch Petitdidier refractor, along with a 10-inch (250mm) f/6 Newtonian , both mounted on a hundred year old Warner & Swasey mount. The mount painted the same color (blue) as the great Yerkes 40 inch refractor mount. Carl Sagan was a member a long, long time ago. We're prone to holding meetings every week and giving some sort of lecture on topics usually only remotely related to astronomy. More history here.


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NSOSP - Sunspot, New Mexico, USA

Welcome to the National Solar Observatory / Sacramento Peak Home Page

The National Solar Observatory / Sacramento Peak (NSO / SP), Sunspot, New Mexico, is part of the National Solar Observatories (NSO) and under the National Optical Astronomy Observatories (NOAO) . NOAO is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), under a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation (NSF), for the benefit of the astronomical community.


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Visual Satellite Observer's Home Page

If you've ever spent some time star gazing shortly after sunset you've probably noticed one or two 'stars' gracefully sailing across the sky. These are orbiting satellites of various types and ages, visible due to the reflection of the Sun's light off their surfaces towards the observer. 

Their tasks cover fields such as communications, astronomy, military applications and remote sensing - meteorology, geology, geography, climatology, etc. Furthermore the orbits they trace can point to the condition of the upper atmosphere, the structure of the Earth, and the nature of the solar cycle. 

Whether a satellite is visible to a given observer or not is dependent upon several factors; knowing these details may aid an observer in determining the most favourable times for sightings, and is most certainly necessary in order to spot some of the more elusive targets which speed across the heavens. 

Furthermore the amateur observer can still contribute to this field despite the regular generation of data by USSPACECOM (US SpaceCommand who operate a global satellite surveillance network), NASA and other organisations. Positional measurements of classified satellites such as Keyhole and Lacrosses enable orbital data concerning them to be circulated and observations of various satellites provide an insight into the rarified upper atmosphere and the subtleties of the Earth's gravitational field. Amateurs can also help supplement measurements of tumbling satellites, leading to a better understanding of the near Earth environment.


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SatPasses - Predictions of Satellite Passes over North American Cities

This web page allows users to determine when certain selected spacecraft will be in range for visual observations or for radio communications. Data are presently provided in tabular form for cities in the United States and Canada, and for eight different satellites: the current or upcoming Space Shuttle Mission, the Russian Space Station Mir, the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO), the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS), the Ocean Remote Sensing Satellite Seasat, the Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM), and the Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE).

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SatPasses - Predictions of Satellite Passes


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Satellite Observing Resources

This page contains references to Internet resources on artificial satellite tracking. It tries to cover both visible observation and amateur radio, but it does not cover satellite communications or satellite TV.


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The 1995-1996 Saturn Ring Plane Crossings

The Sun and Earth passed through Saturn's ring plane in 1995 and 1996, providing a unique opportunity to observe Saturn's faintest rings and smallest satellites. The edge-on viewing geometry also permited direct observations of the main rings' thickness, and the timing of satellite eclipses and mutual events that can be used to improve ephemerides.


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Sky View Observatory

Sky View Observatory is an astronomical observatory located in central New Jersey. The six foot dome houses an eight inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope equipped with an adaptive optics system.


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Small Comets 

Every few seconds a "snowball" the size of a small house breaks up as it approaches Earth and deposits a large cloud of water vapor in Earth's upper atmosphere


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Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory   
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Headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) is joined with the Harvard College Observatory (HCO) to form the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA), where more than 300 scientists are engaged in a broad program of research in astronomy, astrophysics, Earth and space sciences, and science education.


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AstroPhysics Society
  Sidwell Friends School


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THE SOLAR AND HELIOSPHERIC OBSERVATORY 

The SOHO project is being carried out by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as a cooperative effort between the two agencies in the framework of the Solar Terrestrial Science Program (STSP) comprising SOHO and CLUSTER, and the International Solar-Terrestrial Physics Program (ISTP), with Geotail (ISAS-Japan), Wind, and Polar.
SOHO was launched on December 2, 1995. The SOHO spacecraft was built in Europe by an industry team led by Matra, and instruments were provided by European and American scientists. There are nine European Principal Investigators (PI's) and three American ones. Large engineering teams and more than 200 co-investigators from many institutions support the PI's in the development of the instruments and in the preparation of their operations and data analysis. NASA is responsible for the launch and mission operations. Large radio dishes around the world which form NASA's Deep Space Network are used to track the spacecraft beyond the Earth's orbit. Mission control is based at Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland.


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Solar Astronomy WWW Servers 

The following is a list of WWW sites of possible interest to solar astronomers. We do not claim that it is complete, and invite any corrections or submissions of any sites we may have missed. The list is not presented in any particular order. However, we have decided to break this growing list into the following major categories. We apologize if any mistakes are made in the categorization.


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Hawaii Solar Astronomy - Institute for Astronomy University of Hawai`i
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The Solar Group at the Institute for Astronomy studies solar flares, magnetic fields on the sun, and solar oscillations. We operate the Mees Solar Observatory on Haleakala, Maui.


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National Solar Observatory

Welcome to the National Solar Observatory Home Page

The National Solar Observatory, one of the National Optical Astronomy Observatories (NOAO), is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), under a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation.


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Big Bear Solar Observatory

The Big Bear Solar Observatory (BBSO) is operated by the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT). Our main interest is the physics of the Sun and we observe solar phenomena every day with our dedicated telescopes and instruments. In addition to our own instruments we host two different helioseismology experiments; the TON and the GONG. The Center for Solar Research at NJIT also studies the Sun in radio wavelengths at the Owens Valley Radio Observatory.


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Mees Solar Observatory

University of Hawai`i, Institute for Astronomy 

Greetings from the C.E.K. Mees Solar Observatory, located on Haleakala, Maui, Hawai`i. Our elevation is 3,054 meters (approximately 10,000 feet). We observe the Sun, our nearest star, using a variety of optical instrumentation.


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SOLAR PHYSICS THE SUN 
 
Why We Study the Sun 
The Big Questions 
Understanding the Sun 
 
SOLAR STRUCTURE 
The Interior 
The Photosphere 
The Chromosphere 
The Transition Region 
The Corona 
The Solar Wind 
The Heliosphere 
 
SOLAR FEATURES 
Photospheric Features 
Chromospheric Features 
Coronal Features 
Solar Wind Features 

THE SUN IN ACTION 
The Sunspot Cycle 
Solar Flares 
Post Flare Loops 
Coronal Mass Ejections 
Surface and Interior Flows 
Waves and Helioseismology 

The Solar Physics Branch of Marshall Space Flight Center's (MSFC) Space Sciences Laboratory (SSL) is composed of 15 scientists involved in various studies of the physics of the Sun. The branch was first assembled in the early 1970's to support NASA's Skylab program in general and the solar experiment S-056 in particular.


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Aurora and Solar Section - Royal Astronomical Society of N3

Solar Page The Aurora & Solar Section of the Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand exists to encourage and publish observations of the Aurora Australis and the Sun.

This site reports observations of the Sun received by the Section.


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Space Environment Center

Index of Sites Providing Solar Images


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Views of the Solar System

Views of the Solar System presents a vivid multimedia adventure unfolding the splendor of the Sun, planets, moons, comets, asteroids, and more. Discover the latest scientific information, or study the history of space exploration, rocketry, early astronauts, space missions, spacecraft through a vast archive of photographs, scientific facts, text, graphics and videos. Views of the Solar System offers enhanced exploration and educational enjoyment of the solar system and beyond.


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The 150-Foot Solar Tower Current Sunspot Drawing

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150-Foot Solar Tower Current Sunspot Drawing


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SPACE WEATHER

For solar wind dials without any explanatory text, see this page. It also has a few dials that are not shown here. A web page with more explanatory text is also available. 

Current Space Weather Status


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South East Queensland Astronomical Society Home Page
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The South East Queensland Astronomical Society Inc. consists of a group of amateur astronomers who get together and share their views, ideas and telescopes with friends and fellow members.

S.E.Q.A.S. Inc has expertise within the club in areas of telescope building, astrophotography, deep sky observation, sketching, computers, CCD cameras, and lunar and planetry observation. It also has an extensive library of books and videos for members to use at no charge.

The club holds regular field nights and amateur telescope making workshops designed to give the members "hands on experience" and assistance. We also have several weekend camps, public field nights and displays for schools and clubs. The club's meetings are held on the third Monday of each month at 7:30 pm at Kedron High School, Park Road, Kedron. All visitors are most welcome.


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Friends and Partners in Space

Friends and Partners in Space (FPSPACE) was founded in 1994 as an international not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving communication and cooperation between the West and Russia/Former Soviet Union (FSU). People involved in FPSPACE in the U.S., Russia/FSU, and elsewhere work for the organization as both administrative staff and members. Please read on to learn more about the organization and to find out how you can become a member:


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Former Soviet Union Human Spaceflight Log

Mission        Crew                                Launch        Recovery
                                                   Date          Date*
Vostok 1       Gagarin                             4/12/61       4/12/61
Vostok 2       Titov                               8/6/61        8/7/61
Vostok 3       Nikolayev                           8/11/62       8/15/62
Vostok 4       Popovich                            8/12/62       8/15/62
Vostok 5       Bykovsky                            6/14/63       6/19/63
Vostok 6       Tereskhova                          6/16/63       6/19/63
Voskhod 1      Komarov, Feoktistov, Yegorov        10/12/64      10/13/64
Voskhod 2      Belyayev, Leonov                    3/18/65       3/19/65
Soyuz 1        Komarov                             4/23/67       4/24/67
Soyuz 2	       --unmanned target for Soyuz 3--	   10/25/68	 10/28/68
Soyuz 3        Beregovoi                           10/26/68      10/30/68
Soyuz 4        Shatalov                            1/14/69       1/17/69
Soyuz 5        Volynov, Yeliseyev, Khrunov         1/15/69       1/17/69
Soyuz 6        Shonin, Kubasov                     10/11/69      10/16/69
Soyuz 7        Filipchenko, Volkov, Gorbatko       10/12/69      10/17/69

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Former Soviet Union Human Spaceflight Log


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MIR Space Station

Welcome to the all new Mir Space Station web site! If you're a regular to the site, then you've probably noticed that things around here have changed quite a bit - we hope you like the new look and feel of the site.


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Space Calendar

The Space Calendar covers space-related activities and anniversaries for the coming year. Included are over 1,000 links to related home pages. This Calendar is compiled and maintained by Ron Baalke. Please send any updates or corrections to baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov.


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Space Missions - Very Organized and well done


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Space Jobs - Launch a career into Orbit

Welcome to SPACE JOBS. A unique employment advertising service tailored to meet the needs of professionals and organizations active in the space industry.SPACE JOBS provides companies in the space industry with an advertising venue to post employment opportunities. We also offer a very unique service to our users by providing e-mail delivery of job postings.


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STS-95

Space Shuttle Discovery is scheduled for launch on October 29, 1998. The primary objective of this flight is to conduct a variety of science experiments being carried in the pressurized Spacehab module, the deployment and retrieval of the Spartan free-flyer payload, and operations with the HST Orbiting Systems Test (HOST) and the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker (IEH) payloads being carried in the payload bay. 
The STS-95 crew will be commanded by Curt Brown, who will be making his fifth Shuttle flight. The pilot, Steve Lindsey, will be making his second flight. There are three mission specialists assigned to this flight -- Scott Parazynski, making his third flight, Steve Robinson, making his second flight, and Pedro Duque from the European Space Agency (ESA) who is making his first flight. There are two payload specialist on STS-95. Chiaki Mukai, from the Japanese Space Agency (NASDA) will be making her second flight. John Glenn, who thirty-six years ago made history when he strapped himself into a nine-by-seven-foot capsule atop an experimental rocket and became the first American to orbit the Earth, will be making his second flight. 

Since aging and space flight share a number of similar physiological responses, the study of space flight may provide a model system to help scientists interested in understanding aging. Some of these similarities include bone and muscle loss, balance disorders, and sleep disturbances.


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Space Technology Home Page  

Manned Space Flights
Planetary Spacecraft
Lunar Spacecraft (Unmanned)
Launch Vehicles
Spacecraft/Launcher Specifications
World Space Centers
Orbital Mechanics
Rocket Propellants
Rocket Propulsion
Bookmarks
Glossary


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SOCIEDAD DE OBSERVADORES DE METEOROS Y COMETAS DE ESPAÑA  

La Sociedad de Observadores de Meteoros y Cometas de España es un grupo de ámbito nacional que se dedica a la investigación de la materia interplanetaria. SOMYCE representa en España a la International Meteor Organization desde 1988


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Stardial on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign


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StarDust - First comet mission dedicated to a comet


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Messier Objects
A guide to all the Messier Objects including their locations and pictures of the objects.


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Starchart Map Server  

About Starchart... 
Starchart is a collection of programs for making maps of the sky from an electronic database of more than 250,000 celestial objects. These programs were written by Craig Couterman and Alan Paeth, of the University of Warerloo and can be accessed from the UNIX shell as well as through this interface. 
To make a custom map of your favorite patch of sky, set the options below to specify the direction, scale and detail of the map and press the Request Chart button at the bottom of the form. To get a detailed description of the meanings of these options, click on the title of the option or here for the entire overview. The server will generate a test image for you to inspect and give you a choice of downloading the full scale image (which is usually quite large).


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Steve Edmondson's Astro Pages

Astronomy & Astrophotography Information

This is my astronomy home page containing astrophotographs and astronomy related information. All the images at this site were acquired by me and exemplify what one may expect using typical amateur equipment. I have also provided information on the astrophotography equipment and techniques used. The sole purpose of this Web site is to share my experiences with other astronomy enthusiasts. Except for the CCD images, all pictures were scanned from photographic prints.


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Supernova and Supernova Remnant Pages on the WWW


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Supernovae Research Group of the University of Texas Astronomy Department 
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Supernovae are the violent explosions of stars that are responsible for producing all of the "heavy" material (anything other than hydrogen and helium) in the Universe. For a brief time, their brightness approaches that of an entire galaxy. White dwarf stars can become supernovae if they accrete matter from a binary partner and approach the Chandrasekhar limit; this type of supernova leaves no remnant at all. Massive stars end their lives by having their cores collapse to form neutron stars or black holes, while blowing off their outer layers.


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Minor Planet Checker

Use the form below to prepare a list of known minor planets in a specified region. This feature was originally intended for checking possible (super)nova candidates, hence the prominence given to searches around a specific galaxy. Notes on using this form are given at the bottom of this page.


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Interesting Links to Related Sites
Offered by the Swiss Meteorite Lab. (SML) 
& the Swiss Museum for Meteoritics (SMM)
updated: 1998. April 26


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Welcome to the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of Chicago! 

Our home page has links to lists of the members of our department, a copy of our graduate brochure, some of the things we do (both here at the U of C and elsewhere), and a number of related and useful pages elsewhere. Here are our postal addresses and FAX numbers. This site has won awards.

Check out the What's New Page (last modified 5 Mar 98). If you have comments, ideas, suggestions, etc., please see the webmaster's home page.


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Magellan Mission to Venus

Welcome to the Magellan Project home page!
NASA's Magellan spacecraft made a dramatic conclusion to its highly successful mission at Venus when it is commanded to plunge into the planet's dense atmosphere Tuesday, October 11, 1994. During its four years in orbit around Earth's sister planet, the spacecraft has radar-mapped 98 percent of the surface and collected high-resolution gravity data of Venus. The purpose of the crash landing is to gain data on the planet's atmosphere and on the performance of the spacecraft as it descends. 
This home page offers Venus images taken by Magellan and other highlights from the mission.


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Images from Venus Revealed  
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The following is a collection of some of the color and black & white plates and photos from the book.


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Viking Mission to Mars
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NASA's Viking Mission to Mars was composed of two spacecraft, Viking 1 and Viking 2, each consisting of an orbiter and a lander. The primary mission objectives were to obtain high resolution images of the Martian surface, characterize the structure and composition of the atmosphere and surface, and search for evidence of life. Viking 1 was launched on August 20, 1975 and arrived at Mars on June 19, 1976. The first month of orbit was devoted to imaging the surface to find appropriate landing sites for the Viking Landers. On July 20, 1976 the Viking 1 Lander separated from the Orbiter and touched down at Chryse Planitia (22.48° N, 49.97° W planetographic, 1.5 km below the datum (6.1 mbar) elevation). Viking 2 was launched September 9, 1975 and entered Mars orbit on August 7, 1976. The Viking 2 Lander touched down at Utopia Planitia (47.97° N, 225.74° W, 3 km below the datum elevation) on September 3, 1976. The Orbiters imaged the entire surface of Mars at a resolution of 150 to 300 meters, and selected areas at 8 meters. The lowest periapsis altitude for both Orbiters was 300 km. The Viking 2 Orbiter was powered down on July 25, 1978 after 706 orbits, and the Viking 1 Orbiter on August 17, 1980, after over 1400 orbits. The Orbiter images are available from NSSDC on CD-ROM and as photographic products. These images have been converted to digital image mosaics and maps , and these are also available from NSSDC on CD-ROM. An index giving the latitude and longitude of each Viking Orbiter image is available at the Viking FTP site. The Viking Landers transmitted images of the surface, took surface samples and analyzed them for composition and signs of life, studied atmospheric composition and meteorology, and deployed seismometers. The Viking 2 Lander ended communications on April 11, 1980, and the Viking 1 Lander on November 13, 1982, after transmitting over 1400 images of the two sites. Many of these images are also available from NSSDC as photographic products.


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Voyage Project Home Page

MISSION OBJECTIVE
The mission objective of the Voyager Interstellar Mission (VIM) is to extend the NASA exploration of the solar system beyond the neighborhood of the outer planets to the outer limits of the Sun's sphere of influence, and possibly beyond. This extended mission is continuing to characterize the outer solar system environment and search for the heliopause boundary, the outer limits of the Sun's magnetic field and outward flow of the solar wind. Penetration of the heliopause boundary between the solar wind and the interstellar medium will allow measurements to be made of the interstellar fields, particles and waves unaffected by the solar wind.


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Yerkes Observatory University of Chicago   
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Williams Bay, Wisconsin, USA 
190 feet above Geneva Lake, 1050 feet (334 meters) above sea level. 
latitude 42° 34.2', longitude -88° 33.4'. 
The picture on the right is George van Biesbroeck wearing a dog fur coat at Yerkes, circa 1915.
Click on either picture to retrieve a larger version. 

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Yerkes Observatory is located in Williams Bay, Wisconsin and is part of the University of Chicago Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics. 
These pages are maintained as part of the larger departmental collection of pages. These pages are updated annually in October, although incremental changes are being made continuously. They are all subject to this disclaimer and copyright. Here are our postal addresses and FAX numbers. Please send any comments to webmaster@astro.uchicago.edu.

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Yerkes Observatory University of Chicago


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R eal-time E nvironmental A pplications and D isplay s Y stem


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Ice and Climate British Antarctic Survey

The aim of the research undertaken by the Ice and Climate Division is to understand the present behaviour of the ice-atmosphere-ocean system in Antarctica and its evolution in the past, and to use this knowledge to predict future behaviour.

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Ice and Climate British Antarctic Survey


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Current Weather Conditions for Canada
The most recently observed weather conditions for Canada are available here. Select a location from the list below to display the latest observation from that location.


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El Nino Theme Page:
Accessing Distributed Information Related to El Nino


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Current Weather: Continental US

This is a Java applet that allows creation of your own weather maps, as well as access to current weather conditions for selected cities on the North American continent. Use the buttons to select the region of interest; a detached window will appear when the data has been loaded. The "Close Windows" button should free memory and close any open windows. If you want to bookmark one of the regional views directly, use the links at the bottom of this page.


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Atmosphere and weather

METEOPTIC Mailing list for meteorological optics
METEOPTIC is a mailing for amateurs and scientists interested in atmospheric optical phenomena. Atmospheric optics is a fascinating topic. Almost everyone know rainbow, but there are tens or hundreds of beautiful and interesting phenomena available to look, observe and study. There are still lots of to learn about our environment. 

METEOPTIC is the common forum for both scientists and hobbyists to discuss about atmospheric beauty and mysteries. You have not be a specialist to be a member of our mailing list. 

In the mailing list there possible to ask questions, tell about own observations, answer to questions, refer literature, give tips for searching further information etc.


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NOAA's Geostationary Satellite Server 

The NOAA-K, now NOAA-15, satellite was launched May 13, 1998 at 8:52 PDT (11:52 Eastern Time) from VAFB. The spacecraft was injected in a nominal polar orbit (450 x 450 nautical miles) with an inclination of 98.7 degrees. All deployments (including array) were successful and they were confirmed during the McMurdo ground station (Antarctica) pass. Spacecraft is healthy and all telemetry is nominal. Here is the first image received from the satellite. Visit the NASA POES site to view AVI movies of the launch.


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Surface Temps and Station Plots for North America


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WXP - Purdue Weather Processor

WXP is a software package developed at Purdue University which is a general purpose weather visualization tool for current, forecasted and archived meteorological data.
Data:  courtesy the National Weather Service, University of Wisconsin and WSI Corporation.


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The Satellite Active Archive 

The Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) sensor is carried on NOAA's Polar Orbiting Environmental Satellites (POES) starting with TIROS-N in 1978. Onboard the TIROS-N, NOAA-6, 8 and 10 POES Satellites, the AVHRR Sensor measures in 4 spectral bands, while those on the NOAA-7, 9, 11, 12 and 14 POES Satellites are measured in 5. The primary objective of the AVHRR instrument is to provide cloud top and sea surface temperatures through passively measured visible, near infrared and thermal infrared spectral radiation bands. 

NOAA Polar Orbiting Environmental Satellites obtain global imagery daily which are transmitted to the Command and Data Acquisition (CDA) stations at Wallops Island, Virginia, and Fairbanks, Alaska. The CDA stations relay the data to the National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service (NESDIS), located in Suitland, Maryland, for processing and distribution to forecasting centers of the U.S. and other nations. 

GAC (Global Area Coverage) data is produced from AVHRR data aboard NOAA operational polar orbiting satellites. The GAC data are produced on-board the satellite by sampling the AVHRR 1 km data to 4 km resolution by averaging along-scan groups of four samples out of five and skipping every third scan. The data includes all 5 channels at 10 bit precision, with time tags, Earth location, and calibration information. 

The LAC Level 1B data are 1 km resolution data that are recorded on-board the satellite and dumped at the CDA stations, at some later time. 

The HRPT Level 1B data are 1 km direct readout data obtained as the satellite passes over CDA Stations. Hardcopy imagery from HRPT data are also available. Each dataset is generally 10-12 minutes in duration, which requires 3 frames per channel.


URLDes:
NCEP OMB Sea Ice Home Page

The Polar and Great Lakes Ice group works on sea ice analysis from satellite, sea ice modeling, and ice-atmosphere-ocean coupling. Our work supports the National Ice Center, the Alaska Region of the National Weather Service, the Great Lakes Marine Forecasting group in the Cleveland NWSFO, and other groups, as well as the Environmental Modeling Center, of which the ice group is a part.
Items marked 'Draft:' are in development and can only be reached by certain local users.

If you have an addition or correction, comment or suggestion, please write Robert Grumbine at seaice@polar.wwb.noaa.gov


NOAA Polar Orbiting Environmental Satellites obtain global imagery daily which are transmitted to the Command and Data Acquisition (CDA) stations at Wallops Island, Virginia, and Fairbanks, Alaska. The CDA stations relay the data to the National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service (NESDIS), located in Suitland, Maryland, for processing and distribution to forecasting centers of the U.S. and other nations. 

GAC (Global Area Coverage) data is produced from AVHRR data aboard NOAA operational polar orbiting satellites. The GAC data are produced on-board the satellite by sampling the AVHRR 1 km data to 4 km resolution by averaging along-scan groups of four samples out of five and skipping every third scan. The data includes all 5 channels at 10 bit precision, with time tags, Earth location, and calibration information. 

The LAC Level 1B data are 1 km resolution data that are recorded on-board the satellite and dumped at the CDA stations, at some later time. 

The HRPT Level 1B data are 1 km direct readout data obtained as the satellite passes over CDA Stations. Hardcopy imagery from HRPT data are also available. Each dataset is generally 10-12 minutes in duration, which requires 3 frames per channel.


URLDes:
Sea Surface Temperature Satellite Image Archive 
The University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
About the archive
This page provides access to the University of Rhode Island, Graduate School of Oceanography's archive of sea surface temperature satellite images. These images are processed Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) data from NOAA satellites. The images depict sea surface temperature. 
In addition to the archive data itself, we have an on-line classroom lesson plan describing some of the uses of these images. This provides excellent help in interpreting the images - what the different colors mean and how to tell which areas represent sea surface temperature and which represent cloud cover. 

Each of the 1024 by 1024 pixel images in the archive covers the area from latitude 60.575N longitude 96.222W to latitude 9.399N longitude 33.768W using a cylindrical equirectangular map projection with a resolution of 5km/pixel. These images clearly show the Gulf Stream as it heads up the Eastern North American coast line and out into the Atlantic Ocean. Other online sources of AVHRR data exist which cover different regions and/or the entire globe. 


If you have an addition or correction, comment or suggestion, please write Robert Grumbine at seaice@polar.wwb.noaa.gov


NOAA Polar Orbiting Environmental Satellites obtain global imagery daily which are transmitted to the Command and Data Acquisition (CDA) stations at Wallops Island, Virginia, and Fairbanks, Alaska. The CDA stations relay the data to the National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service (NESDIS), located in Suitland, Maryland, for processing and distribution to forecasting centers of the U.S. and other nations. 

GAC (Global Area Coverage) data is produced from AVHRR data aboard NOAA operational polar orbiting satellites. The GAC data are produced on-board the satellite by sampling the AVHRR 1 km data to 4 km resolution by averaging along-scan groups of four samples out of five and skipping every third scan. The data includes all 5 channels at 10 bit precision, with time tags, Earth location, and calibration information. 

The LAC Level 1B data are 1 km resolution data that are recorded on-board the satellite and dumped at the CDA stations, at some later time. 

The HRPT Level 1B data are 1 km direct readout data obtained as the satellite passes over CDA Stations. Hardcopy imagery from HRPT data are also available. Each dataset is generally 10-12 minutes in duration, which requires 3 frames per channel.


URLDes:
Welcome To The Storm Chaser Homepage!

The purpose of the Storm Chaser Homepage is two-fold. It is designed for the storm chaser to get the latest weather information from the National Weather Service (NWS), and provide the NWS a place to receive chaser reports, inquiries, and information from chasers. A two way information street which has in the past been either a one way street, or a dead end for both.

It is sincerely hoped that this page will provide a means of helping the NWS reach it's goal of safeguarding the public by information provided by chasers, in real time or post-mortem, for research and/or warning purposes; and to provide the chaser with weather information as good as is available at a National Weather Service office, so that he/she can obtain information to reach his/her goals of data/image acquisition of thunderstorms, furthering the cause of improving the relations between storm chasers and the NWS.


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Welcome To SCH Canada!!!!

The Storm Chasers of Environment Canada, collectively known as the Fighting Prairie Weather Dogs go out each spring armed with cell phones, laptops, real time radar and satellite, and a desire to prove that Canada gets a lot more tornadoes than are documented each year. To see how they are doing this year, click here for an update, and, for a list of the 10 worst Canada tornadoes, click here. Click here for the Fighting Prairie Weather Dogs Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) sheet!


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Storm Prediction Center

Welcome to the Storm Prediction Center home page. [To get elsewhere in the NWS, NCEP, or NOAA, just click on their logos below.] SPC monitors and forecasts severe and non-severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, and other hazardous weather phenomena across the conterminous U.S. -- 24 hours a day, every day of the year. We used to be known as the SEvere Local Storms (SELS) unit of the National Severe Storms Forecast Center (NSSFC). SPC completed its move from Kansas City MO to Norman OK in early 1997.


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Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) Homepage

The Defense Meteorological Satellite Program(DMSP) is a Department of Defense(DoD) program run by the Air Force Space and Missle Systems Center(SMC). The DMSP program designs, builds, launches, and maintains several near polar orbiting, sun synchronous satellites monitoring the meteorological, oceanographic, and solar-terrestrial physics environments. 
DMSP satellites are in a near polar orbiting, sun synchronous orbit at an altitude of approximately 830 Km above the earth. Each satellite crosses any point on the earth twice a day and has an orbital period of about 101 minutes thus providing complete global coverage of clouds every six hours. 
Each DMSP satellite monitors the atmospheric, oceanographic and solar-geophysical environment of the Earth. The visible and infrared sensors collect images of global cloud distribution across a 3,000 km swath during both daytime and nighttime conditions. The coverage of the microwave imager and sounders are one-half the visible and infrared sensors coverage, thus they cover the polar regions above 60 on a twice daily basis but the equatorial region on a daily basis. The space environmental sensors record along track plasma densities, velocities, composition and drifts. 
The data from the DMSP satellites are recieved and used at operational centers on a continual basis. The data are sent daily to the National Geophysical Data Center(NGDC), Solar Terrestrial Physics Division(STPD) for creation of an archive.

URLTitle:
Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP)


URLDes:
Current Severe Weather Watches and Warnings for the US - Nice Site!


URLDes:
Dan's Astronomy Software

The programs below are free PC programs which were designed for amateur astronomers and educators. 
 Satellites of Saturn v2.0
This program displays the relative locations of Saturn's moons for a given date and time. Preview satsat2.gif.  
 Galilean Satellites v5.3
This program displays the relative locations of the moons of Jupiter for a given date and time. Preview galsat53.gif.  
 Tracker v6.0
This program displays the relative locations of the natural features on Jupiter's southern hemisphere such as the Great Red Spot as well as the impact scars of comet Shoemaker Levy-9. The longitude of the central meridian of Jupiter is also displayed for a given date and time. Preview tracker6.gif. Tracker's data file can be updated using longitudes on Zac Pujic's 
Southern Astronomical Society: Observing Jupiter page.  
 Jovian Moon Events v3.0 High Accuracy
Computes the times of eclipses, transits and occultations for Jupiter's four largest satellites to withing one minute and prints the results to a file. Preview JAN1998.JME.


URLDes:
Astrometrica Shareware

"Astrometrica" is a tool for scientific grade astrometric and photometric data reduction of CCD images. It reads SBIG (ST-4, ST-4X, ST-5, ST-6, ST-7 and ST-8), Cookbook (CB 211 and CB 245), HiSys (HiSys 11, 22, 24, 33 and HiSys 44), FITS (8 bit, 16 bit and 32 bit Integer files) and TIFF (8 bit and 16 bit uncompressed grey scale) image files up to 2048 x 2048 pixels in size.

The selection of reference stars is done with the CCD image displayed simultaneously with a star chart, usually based on the Guide Star Catalog (GSC), the USNO-SA 1.0 or the ESA Tycho catalogue, oriented and scaled to match the CCD image. After the reference stars have been selected, the position and magnitude of any object on the CCD image can be measured with just a few keystrokes.


URLDes:
Computer-Aided Astronomy
 
 Welcome to the homepage of Computer-Aided Astronomy!  This site is dedicated to those individuals interested in performing comet and asteroid astrometry, using simple off-the-shelf equipment!  If you are tired of taking pretty pictures with your CCD camera and want to perform some real science from your own backyard, then read on!


URLDes:
SBIG Online !
A Service of Santa Barbara Instrument Group
Since 1989 Santa Barbara Instrument Group has been the leader in Cooled CCD Cameras for Astronomy. From the inexpensive ST-4 to the state of the art ST-8 SBIG has revolutionized CCD imaging for amateurs and professionals.


URLDes:
Project CLEA - Producing Modern Laboratory Exercises in Astronomy

Contemporary
Laboratory
Experiences in
Astronomy


URLDes:
CyberSky Home Page
w w w . c y b e r s k y . c o m 
    
CyberSky is a colorful, educational, and entertaining program that transforms your personal computer into your personal planetarium, allowing you to learn about astronomy by exploring the sky in the past, present, and future!


URLDes:
Dimension 4

Dimension 4 is the best time synchronization utility available today for Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0. If you don't believe me, just look at what some of our users have said:


URLDes:
FTP directory /contrib/xephem/ephem/executables/ at iraf.noao.edu


URLDes:
Home Planet - By John Walker

Release 3 of Home Planet, a comprehensive astronomy / space / satellite-tracking package for Microsoft Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0 and above, is now available; see details at the end on how to download and install the software. Release 3 of Home Planet is a native 32-bit Windows application which cannot be used on Windows 3.1; if you have such a system, download Home Planet Release 2, which remains available. 
The basic functionality of Home Planet remains the same; the changes between Release 2 and 3 are those required to conform to the 32-bit Windows application programming interface, to exploit new features in 32-bit Windows (primarily the time zone configuration), and to adjust for changes in the user interface (notably, the replacement of minimised application icons with the taskbar). Home Planet now looks and behaves like a 32-bit Windows application, and some aspects of the program will run faster due to more efficient addressing of large blocks of data such as the star maps and planetary position coefficient tables. 

Home Planet is in the public domain; it is free software. It is not shareware--you don't have to register it or pay anybody, and the version you download is fully functional as soon as you install it. You are free to give copies to your friends, post it on other systems, and otherwise use and distribute it in any way without permission, restriction, attribution, or compensation of any kind.


URLDes:
Steve Massey's Astronomy Page

Welcome to my Astronomy and astrophotography page. The Moon, Mercury, Mars, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn and many deepsky photo's are featured here as well as links to some other interesting astronomy sites. You will also find details for building and Astro Video camera.


URLDes:
Axiom Research 

Axiom Research, Inc. provides solutions to a broad spectrum of scientific imaging needs in basic scientific research, corporate R&D, education, and hobby interests. Our MIRA® image processing software is designed to give you the best possible scientific results. MIRA is available in 5 versions ranging from MIRA AL, intended primarily for amateur astronomy and education, to MIRA SL/m, which includes an advanced script language, morphology, and image segmentation tools for the most demanding applications. Now in its 7th year, Axiom Research has established a solid, worldwide base of satisfied customers. MIRA users range from students and hobbyists to educators and researchers in top universities, Fortune 500 companies, and National Laboratories.


URLDes:
Muni-DOS

CCD Photometry. This is very common problem in last few years. Many amateur astronomers bought a CCD camera and want to have good results with their telescopes. Many of them are interesting in variable stars observations. Let us describe you typical situation after our observing night. We have about 200 images on hard drive. Somewhere there is a  variable star and we want to see light curve. What shell we do? Nothing special. Just copy images to one directory, dark frame image to another direcotry and flat field to last one. Then we type "runme" on a keyboard, press a few times ENTER and make a tea 'cause photometry takes some time of course. And that's all! Have you seen some more easier way how to make reductions of a few hundreds of images? If so - let us know!


URLDes:
Power Age Sky Simulator V1.1

I'm George Dragandjikov and I'm the author of Power Age sky simulator. Power Age is an original astronomical software, which gives you the possibility to observe the sky on your computer. Even if you ever had that possibility on any other computer sky simulator, you will be very pleasantly surprised from what Power Age offers to you.


URLDes:
Star Calc

StarCalc is the fastest professional astronomy planetarium & star mapping program for Windows 95/98/NT today. It illustrates star positions of any instance of the day observed from any geographic locations on the Earth. The star positions can be viewed and presented as images of semispherical whole sky or any of the user defined sub-areas. These images can be zoomed at different scales, rotated, screen-captured and printed. 
Best of all StarCalc is freeware.


URLDes:
Stella 2000 Virtual Observatory

Stella 2000 is new astronomical software for the PC which runs in all 32-bit flavours of Windows. Stella generates highly realistic views of the heavens in real time as observed from anywhere in the world.


URLDes:
Software By David Ransom Jr.
David Ransom Jr. Home Page

New Version!!! (12 Dec. 1996)
STSPLUS Version 9650 Program Part 1 of 2(297K Zip File)
STSPLUS Version 9650 Program Part 2 of 2(330K Zip File)
STSPLUS Version 9650 Program UPDATE ONLY(260K Zip File)


What is STSPLUS?
The program is intended for use during Space Shuttle missions and for general satellite tracking using NASA/NORAD 2-Line Orbital Elements. One primary satellite and up to 32 additional "static" or "real time" satellites may be simultaneously tracked in real time on most computers. Both orthographic and rectangular map projections are available, displaying the Earth as a globe or the more traditional "flat map". Tabular line-of-sight satellite pass predictions may be made from within STSORBIT PLUS and passes of interest may be easily displayed. 

STSORBIT PLUS is very accurate when used with current (and accurate) 2-line elements. The program has been qualified by the USAF and meets the requirement of placing a satellite within 0.5 km over a 24-hour time span from the epoch time of the 2-line elements. It is used daily at the USAF Central Computer Complex at Cape Canaveral, by the DOD C-Band Radar Network at their worldwide radar sites, and at half a dozen NASA and aerospace control centers around the country. The program is made available to schools through the NASA Spacelink BBS and the NASA Teacher Resource Centers. Numerous schools and amateur radio enthusiasts have made contact with the space shuttle via SAREX amateur radio while using STSORBIT PLUS.


URLDes:
Jim Smith's Free Virtual Galaxy

The purpose of the Free Virtual Galaxy Project (FVG) is to provide a zero cost, interactive 3-D virtual reality system to allow users to "fly" to and around nearby stars in the Milky Way Galaxy. Objects represented in the system are plotted in the positions that they occupy in 3-space according to the best available information that I could find. I did not use VRML for this program simply because I needed to plot a lot of points and I wasn't certain whether VRML could support it smoothly, this combined with the simple fact that I haven't learned VRML yet prompted me to stick with what I know, at least for now. Understand that I have seen a few excellent VRML implementations out there, but I just chose to go with protected mode C instead. 

Other than programming techniques and a few minor exceptions, everything I needed to develop the program was obtained freely from sites on the net; these and other references are listed in the "Acknowledgements" section. 

I don't claim now (and never will) that the program or the data behind it is without flaw. I do plan to improve the program as time permits and will continue to post the current version number so that return visitors may re-download the latest and greatest if they so desire.


URLDes:
The Sky is a full-featured graphical astronomy program that turns your personal computer into a personal planetarium. With TheSky, you can view the stars as they were seen by Anaximander (the man who invented the star chart) in 550 BC, or you can view them as they will be seen tonight — without the clouds, of course. But that's not all. TheSky will also create customized, publication-quality star charts for you, and it will even control your computer-driven telescope. Order your copy of TheSky today for $129.00 (Level II), $199.00 (Level III), or $249.00 (Level IV)!


URLDes:
Raben Software & Graphics 

Raben Software & Graphics develops multimedia software for Microsoft Windows 3.1, 95 and NT. Watch this website for product announcements, demo software, and upgrades!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PlanetWatch
Raben Software's multimedia guide to our solar system for Microsoft Windows. Breathtaking photos, colorful animated maps, and up-to-date information from Voyager, Galileo, and other space probes.


URLDes:
The Simtel.Net MS-DOS Collection at the OAK Repository Astronomical programs


URLDes:
The Simtel.Net Windows 3.x Collection at the OAK Repository Science-related Programs


URLDes:
FTP directory /pub/software/pc/ at seds.lpl.arizona.edu


URLDes:
SIMTEL.NET

Keith Petersen's worldwide distribution network for Shareware, Freeware, and Public Domain programs Managed by Keith Petersen with the assistance of David  irschbaum and Alice Hadden


URLDes:
Binary Stars free astronomy software for Macintosh computers, complete with manuals teaches binary star concepts may be used in a classroom or lab setting, or for self-education for Windows operating systems, try the CLEA web site for educational astronomy software see also Dan Bruton's Eclipsing Binary Stars web site


URLDes:
sofTouch APpLications  

Since 1988, sofTouch APpLications has been providing quality scientific, technical, and financial software for Macintosh computers to a highly demanding user base. After extensive use by individuals and institutions world-wide we are now please to offer some of our most popular applications to you via the Web. Though we offer several other products, sofTouch APpLications specializes in user-friendly astronomy software. Try out some of our shareware products, and even if you don't decide to purchase any, let us know what you think. We always appreciate comments and suggestions from new and potential users. And, please be sure to check out HIPPARCHUS (5.2.1), our premier astronomy application. HIPPARCHUS is not just another generic "desk top planetarium" program, but a fully integrated software package for positional astronomy.


URLDes:
_Science_&_Math 
The following entries are sorted by NAME. To see this node sorted by DATE, CLICK HERE. Click here to return to the root of the hyperarchive tree.


URLDes:
FTP directory /pub/software/mac/ at seds.lpl.arizona.edu


URLDes:
Exploration In Education

Welcome to ExInEd's home page on the Internet. ExInEd (Exploration In Education) is a program of the SpecialStudies Office at the Space Telescope Science Institute. Please stop and take a look at our latest electronic offerings of Macintosh, Windows, and DOS software available for downloading


URLDes:
Welcome to XEphem, Version 3.1 

XEphem is a free interactive astronomy program for UNIX systems with X Windows and Motif


URLDes:
ESO-MIDA

ESO-MIDAS is the acronym for the European Southern Observatory Munich Image Data Analysis System which is developed and maintained by the European Southern Observatory .  The ESO-MIDAS system provides general tools for image processing and data reduction with emphasis on astronomical applications including imaging and special reduction packages for ESO instrumentation at La Silla. In addition it contains applications packages for stellar and surface photometry, image sharpening and decomposition, statistics and various others. 

The official name, ESO-MIDAS, is a registrated trademark. ESO-MIDAS is available under the GNU General Public License (GPL), and can be implemented on VMS, OpenVMS and UNIX systems. For more detailed information about ESO-MIDAS, please refer to the following services:


URLDes:
IRAF - Image Reduction and Analysis Facility
  
Welcome to the IRAF Homepage! IRAF is the Image Reduction and Analysis Facility, a general purpose software system for the reduction and analysis of astronomical data. IRAF is written and supported by the IRAF programming group at the National Optical Astronomy Observatories (NOAO) in Tucson, Arizona. NOAO is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), Inc. under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation

URLTitle:
IRAF - Image Reduction and Analysis Facility


URLDes:
SKYMAP Astronomical Mapping Program
SKYMAP is an astronomical mapping program written in Fortran and C for Unix workstations by Doug Mink of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory Telescope Data Center. If you just need positions, use RGSC for the Guide Star Catalog and STAR and its variants for other catalogs. The WCSTools package contains C programs which can search the GSC and USNO catalogs.


URLDes:
Approximate Astronomical Positions

These pages are for providing formulae and programs to calculate the approximate positions of solar system objects. I would welcome feedback on these pages, and any hints or tips you have accumulated. I can be contacted at keith@xylem.demon.co.uk. 

My main focus will be on simple calculations which can be programmed on a cheap programmable calculator. You don't have to boot up a PC (or gently rouse your Mac) just to find the position of Venus, or to work out the phase of the Moon this evening! 

These pages are not designed to replace books and reference works. I make reference to the sources of my material on each page, with links to the publisher's home page for the book where possible. I also provide a page with links to other resources for planetary positions, including some theory and some software. Most of the software operates under the DOS operating system. 

The calculations, routines and results given here are approximate! The methods are not suitable for calculating eclipses or occultations, or for long times in the future or past. 

Each calculation and program is checked for accuracy over a period of time. I use various 'standard' programs and ephemerides for producing accurate positions, including; 

The Interactive Computer Ephemeris 
Planeph 
The Twelve Year Planetary Ephemeris (TYPE) 
Brief details of these resources are available on the Resources and Software page on this site. 

I am adding material to this site on a regular basis - and as some of the pages grow very long, I shall split them down into a series of smaller pages. You are welcome to make links to any page or section of a page in this site - but be aware that the arrangement of the information within each page may change.


URLDes:
Astronomical Software
for Microcomputers ®
The Essential Magazine of Astronomy 


Skip directly to list of BASIC programs 

Sky & Telescope magazine is pleased to make available in machine-readable form the programs that have been published in its monthly Astronomical Computing department, which first appeared in April 1984. These are offered as-is and without support; most back issues of S&T from 1985 to the present are still available. (For an alphabetical listing of commercial astronomy software manufacturers, see John Mosley's Astro Software Revue.)


URLDes:
Computing in ASTRONOMY
Source code from Astronomy Magazine.


URLDes:
FTP directory /pub/software/pc/general/ at seds.lpl.arizona.edu


URLDes:
FAQ) Astronomical Calculations for the Amateur
===============================================
Revised January 27, 1998.

[This FAQ is limited to questions about calculating planetary
positions and related problems of spherical astronomy. Other
areas of interest, such a calculations of telescope optics, are
beyond the bounds of this document].
Calculation of astronomical events is a vast field with
literature stretching back centuries, even to ancient times.
This "frequently asked questions" list is directed toward the
amateur astronomer who is looking for starting points. If you
become familiar with the first two books recommended below, you
will be well on your way. You will, in fact, have surpassed the
author of the FAQ!

URLTitle:
Astronomical Calculations for the Amateur


URLDes:
FTP directory /pub/astro/catalogs/ at seds.lpl.arizona.edu


URLDes:
WWW-VL: Astronomy and Astrophysics & AstroWeb


URLDes:
Andromeda Software

Andromeda Software, Inc. has been distributing scientific, educational, and astronomy software since 1985. Our combination of value, service and loyal customers has made us one of the world's largest distributors of affordable scientific software. We invite you to browse through our online catalog and take a look at our current selection of CD-ROMs. We offer a secure online ordering system for safe transactions over the Internet.


URLDes:
Introducing Deepsky 2000
----------------------------------------
Are you looking for a software package that will help make your observing sessions more productive?  Do you want to keep a record of what you observe?  Have you thought about controlling your LX-200, Autostar, or Nexstar 5 telescope through a laptop computer? How about keeping track of all your CCD observations and images?  Need information on the Sun, Moon, Planets, Comets, and Asteroids?  Or want a detailed star chart showing the field of interest?  Even link to the Digital Sky Survey on the Internet?  Deepsky 2000 can do all this and more at a price you won’t believe!

You can think of Deepsky 2000 as a suite of astronomical software.   The broad functionality of Deepsky 2000 lets you perform a variety of tasks related to deepsky observing.  And best of all, most of these tasks integrate together.

· Spreadsheet database of 413,000 Deepsky 
   objects
· 18 million stars (mag. 15.5) can be shown on 
   a star chart
· Observing Planner
· Observing Logbook
· Solar System Information
· Image Processing
· LX200, AutoStar, and Nexstar Telescope 
  Support
· Internet enabled features like the Digital Sky 
  Survey, Sky Rover Sketches, and NGC 
  On-line.


URLDes:
SkyTools is our latest program, designed to aid observers with observation planning, charting, and logging. SkyTools excels at telling you what you can observe on a given night and how to find it. SkyTools offers power previously available only to professional astronomers in a package that virtually anyone can use.  This program makes eight different kinds of charts, plots comets and asteroids, and shows the visible moons and features of the planets. Custom finder charts are created automatically when you enter the information for your own telescope or binoculars.


URLDes:
SETI Institute - The SETI Institute serves as a home for scientific research in the general field of Life in the Universe with an emphasis on the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI). Our research is designed to answer the question: 
Are we alone in the Universe?


URLDes:
The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence is a quest to answer one of life's most intriguing questions: Are we alone in the universe? 

Yes or no, either answer will have tremendous implications for mankind.

Should the answer turn out to be YES, we are alone, then our race would be placed in a position of being the only creatures in existence capable of exploring such questions. We would be the supreme and only intelligence in the cosmos. A staggering thought.

If the answer turns out to be NO, we are not alone, then who else is out there? What are they like? What knowledge do they have? How do they act towards other races? What are their philosophies, sciences, and arts? The questions are endless, as are the possibilities.

We have the technology to communicate over vast distances - millions of lights years. We are capable of sending and receiving radio signals across the vast expanses of space. Actually we have been sending them for over half a century. All radio, television, and radar signals from Earth leak out into space and spread across the galaxy.

Perhaps some other advanced civilization has detected our signals and is now sending their own in an attempt at communication. The only way we'll know is to look and to listen.

That is exactly the premise behind SETI (The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence). The idea is to listen, using radio telescopes, for radio emissions from other worlds.

URLTitle:
The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence


URLDes:
"Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence." - The search for intelligence outside the solar system by remote sensing of radio transmissions. 


See Extra-Solar Planets for the search for planets that might support life.
See Microbe Life on Mars for evidence of primitive life on mars based on analysis of meteorites. 

See Unusual Comets & Space Objects for claims regarding objects in space directly exhibiting intelligent characteristics.

URLTitle:
Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence


URLDes:
The Drake Equation - How can we estimate the number of technological civilizations that might exist among the stars? While working as a radio astronomer at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank, West Virginia, Dr. Frank Drake (now President of the SETI Institute) conceived an approach to bound the terms involved in estimating the number of technological civilizations that may exist in our galaxy. The Drake Equation, as it has come to be known, was first presented by Drake in 1961 and identifies specific factors thought to play a role in the development of such civilizations. Although there is no unique solution to this equation, it is a generally accepted tool used by the scientific community to examine these factors. The equation is shown above.


URLDes:
The SETI League, Inc.
a membership-supported, non-profit [501(c)(3)], educational and scientific organization
Searching for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence - Are We Alone? That question has haunted humankind since first we realized that the points of light in the night sky are other suns. Today we have the technology to seek a definitive answer! The SETI League is participatory science. We are the international grass-roots organization dedicated to privatizing the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence. Together, hundreds of members in dozens of countries are keeping alive the quest for our cosmic companions.


URLDes:
SETIQuest® covers topics like human progress in measuring the Universe through astronomy and local planetary exploration, the implications of new data for the exobiological point of view, and the search for artificially generated signals intentionally or unintentionally broadcast from other extraterrestrial civilizations. This search, and everything related to it, is the driving force of the SETI quest.

SETIQuest, a quarterly magazine first published in 1994, is devoted to SETI, bioastronomy, and the scientific search for evidence of extraterrestrial evolution of life in the Universe. The SETIQuest reader is a scientifically literate, professional person or student who follows up his or her interest in the subject by subscribing to SETIQuest

Subscribers to SETIQuestregularly read about topics like the Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence (SETI), bioastronomy, evolution of stars, and biological life throughout the Universe. Feature articles, book reviews, and "Publications Watch" synopses of related articles published in the literature of various scientific journals address vital topics related to life in the Universe.


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SETI @ Home - SETI@home is a grand experiment that will harness the spare power of hundreds of thousands of Internet-connected computers in the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI) 

When SETI@home launches in late 1998, computer users from around the world will participate in a major scientific experiment. Each participant will have the slight but captivating possibility that his or her computer will detect the faint murmur of a civilization beyond Earth.


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Welcome to the "Big Ear" Radio Observatory Home Page. Big Ear is a Kraus-type radio telescope which covers an area larger than three football fields. The telescope is famous for discovering some of the most distant known objects in the universe, as well as for the "Wow!" Signal and the longest-running SETI (Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence) project entered into the Guinness Book of Records. This unique probe of the depths of the cosmos is located in Delaware, Ohio. 


Beginner's Guide to Radio Astronomy and SETI


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Project Bambi - The design, construction, and initial observational results of a 
4 GHz amateur radio telescope are described in this first report from 
Project BAMBI (Bob And Mike's Big Investment). The system is now operating 
continuously. The planned extension of the BAMBI project to amateur SETI is 
also discussed.Introduction
A number of efforts are underway in the Search for Extraterrestrial 
Intelligence (SETI). We have been deeply interested in the search for some 
time, and have concluded that amateurs can in fact construct affordable 
systems with sensitivities comparable to professional all-sky search 
strategies even with antennas of limited aperture. We have also concluded 
that we can achieve a reasonably respectable frequency coverage of a search 
spectrum as well. We hope this project will encourage other amateurs to join 
in the search. Project BAMBI is divided into two phases:


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SETI Institute
Project Phoenix 
 

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Project Phoenix is the world's most sensitive and comprehensive search for extraterrestrial intelligence. It is an effort to detect extraterrestrial civilizations by listening for radio signals that are either being deliberately beamed our way, or are inadvertently transmitted from another planet. Phoenix is the successor to the ambitious NASA SETI program that was cancelled by a budget-conscious Congress in 1993.
 
  
 Phoenix began observations in February, 1995 using the Parkes 210 foot radio telescope in New South Wales, Australia. This is the largest radio telescope in the Southern Hemisphere.

Phoenix doesn't scan the whole sky. Rather, it scrutinizes the vicinities of nearby, sun-like stars. Such stars are most likely to host long-lived planets capable of supporting life.
 
 There are about one thousand stars targeted for observation by Project Phoenix. All are within 200 light-years distance.

Because millions of radio channels are simultaneously monitored by Phoenix, most of the "listening" is done by computers. Nonetheless, astronomers are required to make critical decisions about signals that look intriguing.
 
  Phoenix looks for signals between 1,000 and 3,000 MHz. Signals that are at only one spot on the radio dial (narrow-band signals) are the "signature" of an intelligent transmission. The spectrum searched by Phoenix is broken into very narrow 1 Hz-wide channels, so two billion channels are examined for each target star.

Observations are currently being made using the 140 foot radio telescope in Green Bank, West Virginia. For a report from the astronomers on duty, check out observations.

By mid-1996, Phoenix had examined approximately one-third of the stars on its "hit list." So far, no clearly extraterrestrial transmissions have been found. But the faint whine that would betray an alien civilization might be heard tomorrow.

Project Phoenix is sustained entirely through private funding. Find out how you can help support the search


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The UC Berkeley Search For Extraterrestrial Civilizations 
The UC Berkeley SETI Program, SERENDIP (Search for Extraterrestrial Radio Emissions from Nearby Developed Intelligent Populations) is an ongoing scientific research effort aimed at detecting radio signals from extraterrestrial civilizations. The project is the world's only "piggyback" SETI system, operating alongside simultaneously conducted conventional radio astronomy observations. SERENDIP is currently piggybacking on the 1,000-foot dish at Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, the largest radio telescope in the world.
SERENDIP is dedicated to providing an answer to the age-old question "Are we alone?"


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Cosmic Search Vol. 1, No. 1

Editorial: About COSMIC SEARCH and SETI 


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The Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI) is an idea whose time has come. A decade or so ago only a handful of scientists were active in this area; actual searches were almost non-existent and few people had heard of SETI. But today hundreds of scientists are actively involved, a dozen radio observatories around the world are carrying out actual searches, and much serious thinking is being devoted to SETI.


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SETI and The Planetary Society
The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence has received Planetary Society support for many years. The Society has a web page devoted to this topic and you can see "live" results of the Society sponsored Project BETA.


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"This time is unique in our history, in any civilization's history: the moment of the acquisition of technology. The moment when contact becomes possible." 
        -Ellie Arroway (Jodie Foster), Contact
 

Are we alone in the cosmos? If so, the implications are profound; if not, they are equally so. And whether one believes in science or faith, the possibility is tantalizing. The discovery that we are part of a larger community of worlds would be among the greatest discoveries in history; if we continue to find ourselves alone, we are that much more precious. Either way, the implications for how we see ourselves and our fellow human beings could not be more profound.

The first SETI search was conducted in 1960 by Dr. Frank Drake. Since then many searches have been made, and they are becoming more powerful and cheaper. A handful of of unexplainable signals have been detected, but none has been confirmed as an extraterrestrial signal.

The search for evidence that we are not alone continues, and is currently being carried out by two main organizations, the Planetary Society and the SETI Institute. Using a commonplace technology, radio, the search for extraterrestrial signals is extremely inexpensive. When Congress got rid of SETI funding in 1993, it saved one tenth of one percent of NASA's budget. NASA's budget is about 5% of what the U.S. spends on defense.


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High Resolution, Unresolved 
Private companies will soon 
launch satellites powerful enough to spot 
environmental hazards--or a car 
in your driveway. Should we worry about 
snooping from space?


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USGS now distributing declassified intelligence satellite photographs 

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The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has begun distributing film negatives, positives, and paper prints from declassified satellite photographs collected by the U.S. intelligence community during the 1960's and early 1970's. All standard products are priced at the cost of reproduction ($8 - $18). 
The entire collection of these declassified photos will incrementally reach USGS National Satellite Land Remote Sensing Data Archive at the Earth Resources Observation Systems (EROS) Data Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota by the end of the summer of 1996. The online catalog will be updated daily as new rolls are added to the archive. 

A World Wide Web accessible graphical catalog and image browse capability for the photo collection is accessible for searching, at no charge, on the Internet through the U.S. Geological Survey's Global Land Information System (GLIS). It is highly recommended that users view the browse images before purchasing the photographs since over 40% are obscured by clouds. A sample of a GLIS browse screen for a KH-5 image is shown below. Note that the browse images were created by semi- automated scanning of the film rolls. Therefore, many browse images do not appear on the screen with north oriented to the top.


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Physical Geography Resources

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The entries below represent a mixture of images, datasets, and data libraries of potential use to physical geographers. Depending on the entry, selecting an item will return a picture, a data file, or a list of other resources. Entries are arranged by subject, followed by a list of some popular information libraries. This document was made possible by an Instructional Technology Grant from the University of Wisconsin- Madison. Please send corrections, suggestions, etc. to 
Paul Gunther.


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Earth and Moon Viewer 


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Welcome to Earth and Moon Viewer. 

Viewing the Earth
You can view either a map of the Earth showing the day and night regions at this moment, or view the Earth from the Sun, the Moon, the night side of the Earth, above any location on the planet specified by latitude, longitude and altitude, from a satellite in Earth orbit, or above various cities around the globe. 
Images can be generated based on a full-colour image of the Earth by day and night, a topographical map of the Earth, up-to-date weather satellite imagery, or a composite image of cloud cover superimposed on a map of the Earth, or a colour composite which shows clouds, land and sea temperatures, and ice. Expert mode allows you additional control over the generation of the image. You can compose a custom request with frequently-used parameters and save it as a hotlist or bookmark item in your browser. Please consult the Details for additional information and answers to frequently-asked questions. 


Viewing the Moon
In addition to the Earth, you can also view the Moon from the Earth, Sun, night side, above named formations on the lunar surface. or as a map showing day and night. A related document compares the appearance of the Moon at perigee and apogee, including an interactive Perigee and Apogee Calculator.


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This is a compilation of NASA's Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, press releases, images and other information.


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Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) is a joint U.S.-German-Italian project that uses a highly sophisticated imaging radar to capture images of Earth that are useful to scientists across a great range of disciplines. The instrument was flown on two flights in 1994. One was on space shuttle Endeavour on mission STS-59 April 9-20, 1994. The second flight was on shuttle Endeavour on STS-68 September 30-October 11, 1994. 

Space radar scientists at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, and elsewhere continue to process and analyze images yielded by the shuttle flights. The images are divided into nine categories for easier viewing. The most recently released images from the SIR-C/X-SAR project are below.


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The Earth Observing System Educators' Visual Materials
 
Earth Sciences Directorate
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 


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From its origins, the Earth has experienced change. It is a natural process. However, there are strong scientific indications that natural change is being accelerated by human intervention. We have altered the Earth by reconfiguring the landscape, by changing the composition of the global atmosphere, and by stressing the biosphere in countless ways. In our quest for improved quality of life, we have become a force for change on the planet, building upon, reshaping, and modifying natureÐoften in unintended ways.


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Images and video clips from the U.S.-French mission to study ocean dynamics and their effects on global climate.

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U.S.-French mission to study ocean dynamics


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The Ultimate Field Trip

An Astronaut's View of Earth
by Kathryn D. Sullivan, Ph.D. 
NASA Astronaut


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Beginner's Guide to the Sun 
by Peter O. Taylor and Nancy L. Hendrickson 


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What did the pueblo dwellers of the American Southwest have in common with the priests of Babylonia and the builders of Ireland's Newgrange Tomb? A fascination with the Sun. "Beginner's ...


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Backyard Astronomy:
Tips on Observing
the Universe ®
The Essential Magazine of Astronomy 


Skip directly to menu of articles 

More people are getting interested in astronomy now than ever before. But what can newcomers actually see when they look out into the cosmos? To many people, amateur astronomy seems difficult, technical, and mysterious. 

It doesn't have to be this way. The stars can belong to everyone. 

With this in mind, the editors of Sky & Telescope introduced Backyard Astronomy, a regular feature of the magazine designed to help beginners get oriented and to help skygazers of all levels get the most out of observing the heavens. 

Here we've gathered a selection of popular how-to articles from the Backyard Astronomy series, along with an assortment of other useful tips. Many have been updated here since they were printed in the magazine. More will be added from time to time. And thanks to the efforts of some enthusiastic amateurs in other countries, many of these articles are available in Spanish or French too.


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Retrieve data and images for a selected region of the sky


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TerraServer's purpose is to provide viewers access to such vast amounts of data over slow speed telecommunication lines and simple computer designs such as PCs and web browsers. Historically, users were required to have high-end graphics workstations that had the CPU, memory, and graphics hardware capabilities to manipulate this data, as well as be close to where the data was stored. Even then, it was rare for systems to have access to much more than 50 to 100 gigabytes of image data at one time. 

Our goal is to give our viewers access to "terabytes" of data (10 to 100 times more than normal access) while browsing the Internet from the comfort of their own homes. Instead of presenting images in their original large format, TerraServer divides these images into small tiles that can be retrieved over the Internet. The story that follows describes how TerraServer takes the images and cuts, inventories, and displays them on your computer.


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Welcome to Skyhound, a source of timely information for the serious observer.


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The Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) is a Space Ultraviolet Small Explorer mission that will map the global history and probe the causes of star formation over the redshift range 0<z<2, 80% of the life of the Universe, the period over which galaxies have evolved dramatically, and the time that most stars, elements, and galaxy disks had their origins.


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Astronomy in the latter half of this century has made wondrous discoveries, expanded our understanding of the universe and opened humanity's vision beyond the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Our knowledge of how the cosmos was born and how many of its phenomena arise has grown exponentially in just one human lifetime. In spite of these great strides there remain fundamental questions that are largely unanswered. To further our understanding of the way our present universe formed following the Big Bang requires a new type of observatory with capabilities currently unavailable in either existing ground-based or space telescopes. Simply put, a goal of the Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST) is to observe the first stars and galaxies in the Universe. This grand effort is embedded in fundamental questions that have been posed to NASA's Space Science program:

What is the shape of the universe? 
How do galaxies evolve? 
How do stars and planetary systems form and interact? 
What are the life cycles of matter in the universe? 
What is dark matter? 
Answers to most of these questions involve objects formed extremely early in the history of the universe (figure 1 below). Such objects have their radiation greatly redshifted when observed in the current epoch, meaning that observations are best performed in the infrared portion of the spectrum. The NGST will be capable of detecting radiation whose wavelength lies in the range 0.6 to 20 microns (and be optimized for the 1 to 5 micron region). Furthermore, the NGST must be able to see objects 400 times fainter than those currently studied with large ground-based infrared telescopes (such as the Keck Observatory, or Gemini Project) or the current generation of space-based infrared telescopes (ISO, NICMOS or SIRTF), and it must do so with the spatial resolution (image sharpness) comparable to the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). 


Where NGST fits in:
Our current understanding of how the Universe was formed and evolved is remarkably well constrained at the extreme ends of time. That is, we have a fairly good understanding of what the Universe is like today and the recent past (when the universe was between 10-15 billion years old) from observations at all wavelengths. We also have a pretty good understanding of what the universe was like when it was quite young (less than about 1 million years old) based upon observations of the cosmic microwave background and high energy particle physics. This middle ground however, between 1 million and a few billion years old, is completely unobserved. It is during this time period that the first structures we see today, namely stars and galaxies, began to form (see figure 1). 


(156 Kb GIF) (351 Kb PDF "NGST in Context")

Figure1: Schematic history of the Universe with the present ('today' on the left and the most distant past, 'big bang' on the right). The shaded red region shows the region of Universe history accessible the the NGST. The NGST will sample that part of the Universe's history during which the first stars and galaxies formed. In contrast we show the regions of history studied by other missions (COBE and HST). The age of the universe is shown on the top scale, going from zero at the right to 10 billion years at the left. The bottom scale is called redshift, labeled z. It is the fractional increase in the wavelength of light from the moment it was emitted to the moment we receive it, and the number (1+z) is the ratio of the size of the universe now to the size it was at an earlier time. 

Just what will a NGST do to address the fundamental questions posed above?

What is the Shape of the Universe? 
How Do Galaxies Evolve? 
How Do Stars & Planetary Systems Form and Evolve? 
What Are the Life Cycles of Matter in the Universe? 
What is Dark Matter?


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How big is the universe? How old is it? Are there other planets like Earth out there among the stars? We have asked these questions around campfires and in the halls of universities for centuries. Today, we know that the answers lie hidden in the positions and distances of the stars and galaxies. And each time scientists have measured these positions and distances with greater accuracy, they have gained a wealth of new understanding. 

The Space Interferometry Mission (SIM), scheduled for launch in 2006, will determine the positions and distances of stars several hundred times more accurately than any previous program. This accuracy will allow SIM to determine the distances to stars throughout the Galaxy and to probe nearby stars for Earth-sized planets. SIM will also pioneer a technique to block out (null) the light of bright stars to take images of the interesting areas close to the star. SIM will open a window to a new world of discoveries. 

This breakthrough in capabilities is possible because SIM will be the first space mission to use optical interferometry. Pioneered by Albert Michelson, who became the first American to win the Nobel Prize in physics in 1907, optical interferometry can fulfill its full potential only outside the distorting effects of Earth's atmosphere. There, it can combine light from two or more telescopes as if they were pieces of a single, gigantic telescope mirror. Developed for use in space with SIM, this technique will eventually lead to the development of telescopes powerful enough to take images of Earth-like planets orbiting distant stars and to determine whether these planets sustain life as we know it. 

SIM is being developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory under contract with NASA and in close collaboration with two industry partners, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Space in Sunnyvale, California, and TRW Inc., Space and Electronics Group in Redondo Beach, California


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The Space InfraRed Telescope Facility (SIRTF), the fourth and final element in NASA's family of "Great Observatories," has entered development. SIRTF consists of a 0.85-meter telescope and three cryogenically-cooled science instruments capable of performing imaging and spectroscopy in the 3 - 180 micron wavelength range. Incorporating the latest in large-format infrared detector arrays, SIRTF offers orders-of-magnitude improvements in capability over existing programs. While SIRTF's mission lifetime requirement remains 2.5 years, recent programmatic and engineering developments have brought a 5-year cryogenic mission within reach. A fast-track development schedule will lead to a launch in December 2001. SIRTF represents an important scientific and technical bridge to NASA's new Origins program


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The Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF) will study all aspects of planets: from their formation and development in disks of dust and gas around newly forming stars to the presence and features of those planets orbiting the nearest stars; from the numbers at various sizes, and places to their suitability as an abode for life. By combining the high sensitivity of space telescopes with the sharply detailed pictures from an interferometer, TPF will be able to reduce the glare of parent stars by a factor of more than one hundred-thousand to see planetary systems as far away as 50 light years. In addition to measuring the size, temperature, and placing of planets as small as the Earth in the habitable zones of distant solar systems, TPF's spectroscopy will allow atmospheric chemists and biologists to use the relative amounts of gasses like carbon dioxide, water vapor, ozone and methane to find whether a planet someday could or even now does support life. 
In addition to studying planets around nearby, mature stars like the sun, TPF will advance our understanding of how planets and their parent stars form. The disks of forming stars are a few earth-to-sun units (AU) across. TPF will study structures on the scale of a few tenths of an AU to investigate how gaseous (Jupiter-like) and rocky (Earth-like) planets form out of disk material. By studying the heat glow from dust, ice and gasses such as hydrogen and carbon monoxide. TPF will investigate whether, as theory predicts, rocky planets form in warmer regions and gaseous planets in colder regions while a solar system is being born


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The second Wide Field and Planetary Camera (WFPC2), designed and built by the California Institute of Technology's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) for NASA's Office of Space Science, is one of five scientific instruments aboard the Earth-orbiting Hubble Space Telescope. This camera was installed during during National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) space shuttle mission to service the telescope in December 1993. It replaced the original camera (WF/PC), which was launched with the Hubble in April 1990. WFPC2 contains corrective optics to refocus light coming from the telescope's primary mirror and restores performance of the telescope to original specifications.

WFPC2 divides its field of view among four internal camera systems: three f/13 wide field cameras, and one f/28 narrow field camera. The wide field cameras give the telescope a panoramic view, providing the greatest sensitivity for faint objects. The planetary camera provides about 2.2 times the resolution of the other three systems, but with a smaller field of view. All four cameras are sensitive to light from the far ultraviolet to the near infrared.


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The New Millennium Program focuses on testing high-risk, advanced technologies in space with low-cost flights. Though testing technologies is the primary goal of the flights, they also allow an opportunity to collect scientifically valuable data. Most of the technologies on DS1 were nearly or completely validated during the first few months of flight, well before its encounter with an asteroid, where it further tested its new instrument technologies and new navigation technology.

Deep Space 1's mission took it by an asteroid on July 28, 1999. When DS1 flew by the asteroid Braille, it was an amazing 26 km away from the body. 

Now that Deep Space 1 has completed 100% of the testing required to validate the technologies, the mission has changed its focus to gathering scientific information. NASA has approved an extension of the mission that will include encounters with two comets.


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STARDUST is the space mission that will fly close to a comet and, for the first time ever, bring cometary material back to Earth for analysis by scientists worldwide. 
Set for launch in February 1999, Stardust will be the first U.S. mission dedicated solely to a comet and the first robotic return of extraterrestrial material from outside the orbit of the Moon. Its primary goal is to collect comet dust and  volatile samples during a planned close encounter with comet Wild 2 in January of 2004. Additionally, the Stardust spacecraft will also bring back samples of interstellar dust including the recently discovered dust streaming into the solar system from the direction of Sagittarius. 

These materials consist of ancient pre-solar interstellar grains and nebular condensates including remnants left over from the formation of the solar system. Their analysis is expected to yield important insights into the evolution of the sun and planets and possibly into the origin of life itself. 

The spacecraft will make three loops around the sun. On the second loop, the trajectory of the spacecraft will intersect that of Wild 2. During encounter the spacecraft will send back pictures of Wild 2, counts of comet particles striking the spacecraft, and real-time analyses of the compositions of the particles and volitiles. The capture mechanism for the returned samples will use a unique substance called aerogel attached to panels on the spacecraft to soft-catch and preserve the cometary materials. These will be dropped off in a reentry capsule that will parachute to Earth in 2006. 

STARDUST is a collaborative effort between NASA, university and industry partners. The principal investigator is Donald E. Brownlee of the University of Washington, well known for his discovery of cosmic particles in the stratosphere known as Brownlee Particles. Peter Tsou of the Jet Propulsion Lab, innovator in aerogel technology and maker of aerogel, serves as Deputy Investigator. The contractor for the STARDUST spacecraft is Lockheed Martin Astronautics. The Jet Propulsion Lab will provide an experienced project management team, led by Kenneth L. Atkins, an early leader in comet missions. In addition, JPL will provide the optical navigation camera, and the Max Planck Institute (MPI) of Germany will provide the real-time dust composition analyzer for the spacecraft. 

STARDUST is the fourth NASA Discovery mission to be chosen and following on the heels of Mars Pathfinder, the Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) mission, and the Lunar Prospector mission. The goal of NASA's Discovery Program is to launch many, smaller missions that perform focused science with fast development times, cost less than $150 (FY92$) million to build, and are joint efforts with industry, small businesses, and universities.


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The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has initiated a long-term systematic program of Mars exploration, the Mars Surveyor Program (MSP). The highest priority scientific objectives of this program are to: 

Search for evidence of past or present life 

Understand the climate and volatile history of Mars 

Assess the nature and inventory of resources on Mars 
The common thread of these objectives is water: past and present sources and sinks; exchanges between subsurface, surface and atmospheric reservoirs; and the change of volatiles over time. 

The goal of the Mars Surveyor Program is to carry out low-cost missions, each of which provides important, focused, scientific return, and which will in sum constitute a major element of the scientific exploration of Mars. A series of lander and orbiter spacecraft are being launched at each favorable Mars launch opportunity, which occur approximately every 26 months. In 1997 the Mars Surveyor Program launched the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS), which together with the launch of the Discovery Program's Mars Pathfinder lander, initiated the new era of Mars exploration. 

In the 1998-1999 launch opportunity, the Mars Surveyor Program successfully launched the following spacecraft, which are now in flight to Mars: 

Mars Climate Orbiter (MCO) launched on December 11, 1998 

Mars Polar Lander (MPL) launched on January 3, 1999 
The Mars Polar Lander also carries two New Millennium Program (NMP) microprobes as the Deep Space 2 (DS2) Mission. These probes will separate from Mars Polar Lander prior to its entry into the Martian atmosphere, then fall through the atmosphere (without parachutes or rockets to slow their entry) and crash into the surface, with the probe forebodies penetrating up to a meter deep into the Mars surface. The short-lived DS2 probes will be located approximately 100 km further north (equatorward) of the Mars Polar Lander touchdown point and will themselves search for the presence of subsurface water ice and attempt to characterize subsurface soil thermal properties. Thus, complementary data will be obtained by the Deep Space 2 and Mars Polar Lander surface packages (and by Mars Climate Orbiter and Mars Global Surveyor). Future missions will culminate in the return of samples of Martian rocks and soil to Earth. The focus of the Mars Surveyor 98 element of the Mars Surveyor Program is to advance our understanding of the volatile and climate history of Mars through systematic mapping of the Mars seasonal cycles of weather, dust, water and carbon dioxide by remote sensing from orbit and through exploration in situ at a landed site on the layered terrain near the Martian south pole.


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The Ulysses Mission is the first spacecraft to explore interplanetary space at high solar latitudes. Ulysses is a joint endeavor of the European Space Agency (ESA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the USA. The spacecraft and spacecraft operations team are provided by ESA, the launch of the spacecraft, radio tracking, and data management operations are provided by NASA. Scientific experiments are provided by investigation teams both in Europe and the USA. 

The spacecraft was launched on Oct. 6, 1990 by the shuttle Discovery with two upper stages. To reach high solar latitudes, the spacecraft was aimed close to Jupiter so that Jupiter's large gravitational field would accelerate Ulysses out of the ecliptic plane to high latitudes; no man made launch vehicle could by itself provide the needed velocity for Ulysses to achieve high latitudes. 

Encounter with Jupiter occurred on February 8, 1992, and since then Ulysses travelled to higher latitudes with maximum Southern latitude of 80.2 degrees being achieved on Sept. 13, 1994. Ulysses will travel through high Northern latitudes during June through September of 1995. These high latitude observations are being obtained during the quiet (minimum) portion of the 11 year solar cycle. The spacecraft's orbital period is six years and, if kept in operation, the high latitude observations will be obtained during the active (maximum) portion of the solar cycle.


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Colorado Springs Astronomical Society home page 

Welcome to the Colorado Springs Astronomical Society's new web page. This page is still evolving, and any comments or feedback are welcome.  At the bottom of this page, you will find a link that will allow you to submit comments or suggestions.  Please use it!!  The Colorado Springs Astronomical Society is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the enjoyment of the nighttime sky.  We currently have over 60 members that regularly meet to observe the splendors of our dark, dry, and high Colorado skies.  In addition to monthly observing sessions, we hold monthly membership meetings on the fourth Tuesday of each month at the Gold Hill Police Station, at the corner of Nevada Avenue and Rio Grande.  The meetings are held at 7:00pm.


