Neil Armstrong, First Man to Walk on the Moon, Dies at 82

Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, died yesterday at the age of 82. I remember watching the lunar landing and the first moon walk in July 1969 when I was a student at the University of Chicago. It was the culmination of many long NASA space TV sessions that began for me as a teen with the Mercury program that launched Alan Shepard into space in the first sub-orbital flight, in a race with the Russians to be the first on the moon. Those were the days. Getting up early in the morning to watch the Redstone rockets launch the first astronauts, the coundowns, the agonizing holds at T-1 second, and finally the "lift off", as we learned - not "blast off" as the science fiction books had it - with the mighty rockets roaring into space with their manned payloads, just in time to rush out the door and catch the bus to school. (Yes, I was bussed to Jewish day schools in the South before busing was busing.)

Now we have no more manned space program, but we have excelled at sending probes to the most distant planets and robotic explorers to Mars. In just 400 years we have progressed from Galileo's first glimpse of the distant heavens using a telescope so primitive that you wouldn't give it to a child today to actually visiting these far, far away places. Who knows what the next 400 years might bring, if the savages of the world and their sympathizers and enablers don't ruin it for everyone.

According to the press Armstrong died of complications from cardiac procedures. Does that mean a medical mistake? Sure hope not.

In tribute, here is the video that I remember watching so well from his first steps on the moon.

The flag that Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin placed on the moon still "flies", but no one gave any thought to longevity at the time, so ultra-violet rays from the sun have bleached it completely white, the color of surrender. Hopefully, not symbolic...

"Curiosity" Rover Party Party Party!!!

The Mars-bound Curiosity Rover is scheduled to land on the surface of Mars on Monday, August 6, at 8:31AM Israel Daylight Time (IDT). To honor and celebrate the most complex and difficult mission NASA has ever done for a robotic explorer we will have an impromptu party at the CafeNeto in Mitzpe Ramon, starting at 8:00AM on Monday morning, August 6th. NASA will be streaming live video of the event from their web site which we will watch using the CafeNeto's wifi connection. Bring along a computer, tablet, or smartphone and you can stream from there, too. Of course the CafeNeto will be serving their always exceptional drinks and food, and Ami's convenience store (all kosher) is open next door for those who wish to roll their own.

Curiosity Rover is lowered to the surface of Mars by its hovering sky crane.

It seems that parties are being held all over the world for this event, including one that NASA is hosting in Times Square where the landing will be streamed onto the Jumbotron at 42nd street. This could be even bigger than the Facebook IPO, and it won't cost you a cent!

This is NASA's Curiosity home page which includes a countdown timer clock for the event: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/index.html

List of Curiosity landing parties around the world. Find your nearest one!
http://getcurious.com/landing-parties/

This is where you can watch the streaming video of the landing on NASA TV: http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html

Facts about Curiosity and the landing: http://www.universetoday.com/96553/quick-and-curious-facts-about-the-mars-science-laboratory-mission/#more-96553

What you will see on TV as Curiosity lands:
http://cosmiclog.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/02/13080174-what-well-see-from-mars-and-when

Astronomy Israel party listing on the official world-wide Curiosity party site:
http://yurisnight.net/explore-mars-events/?partyid=2256

The seven minutes of the landing has been described by NASA as "seven minutes of sheer terror", as Curiosity goes from a cosmic velocity of 13,000 MPH to zero through its landing sequence to finally be lowered to the surface by a hovering sky-crane using over 70 pyrotechnic elements that will finally fly the sky-crane safely away from Curiosity where it will crash to the surface of Mars.



It takes transmissions from Curiosity 14 minutes to reach earth, observing the universal cosmic speed limit of 186,000MPS, so mission operators won't know whether Curiosity has survived its seven minutes of terror for 14 minutes after its landing. The 8:31 landing time is calculated to include the 14 minutes of transmission delay, so the actual landing will occur at 8:17AM IDT.

Come and join us as we find out the ultimate fate of the greatest robotic mission to the planets ever undertaken by mankind!

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Jupiter's Disappearing Act

One of the most beautiful celestial events I have seen in a long time occurred early on the morning of Sunday July 15th, and Israel was perfectly placed for it. The waning crescent moon occulted Jupiter and its four Galilean satellites over the skies of Mitzpe Ramon. An occultation occurs when one astronomical body passes in front of another and blocks its light for a period of time. In this case the moon, at about 230,000 miles distant from earth that morning passed in front of Jupiter and its moons, about 526,963,352 miles distant, a ratio of 2,291 in distance! The moon approached Jupiter, slowly engulfed two Jovian satellites to its right, then the planet, then the two remaining Jovian satellites, and reversed the process about an hour later. The moon and Jupiter were in a very rich area of the sky that night, in the constellation Taurus with the Hyades star cluster nearby, along with the bright, red star Aldebaran and many other stars nearby that were only visible in the telescope.

Because such events are so beautiful and memorable, I had called for a star party to begin at 3:00AM that morning. Despite the early hour, about 30 people showed up, some from as far away as Gush-et-Zion, along with many from Mitzpe Ramon. I had set out 4 telescopes and a pair of giant binoculars, so we were well provisioned for the night. The weather was warm, the sky clear, and the desert winds that blow most of the night had quit for the evening, as the temperature in Machtesh Ramon and on the rim, where we were, came into equilibrium.

The first photo shows the rich star field that the moon was entering as it began to engulf Jupiter. Jupiter is hidden in the overexposed glow of the moon which was necessary to show some of the dimmer stars.

The rich star field around Jupiter shows the Hyades star cluster below and to the right of Jupiter with the brilliant red supergiant star Aldeberan directly below the moon. Many other stars are shown in the field and must have also been occulted by the moon, but little mention was made of them in pre-occultation summaries of the event. Jupiter is hidden in the moon's glare near the bright limb. Photo: Ira Machefsky

Jupiter and its four Galilean moons about to be occulted by the moon, along with other bright stars in the vicinity. In order from the very left: Callisto, Ganymede, Jupiter, Io, Europa, Moon. Photo: Roy Brown

Jupiter about to be occulted by the moon. Photo: Roy Brown

Jupiter, preceded by Io and Europa, emerges from behind the moon. Photo: Roy Brown

Jupiter and all four of the Galilean moons emerge about an hour later. Another star, identity unknown, to the left of the moon is just a few minutes away from being occulted. Photo: Roy Brown

As the moon moved away from Jupiter and its moons, the tableau took on the appearance of some vicious primitive weapon, the scythed blade of the moon being held by the spindle of Jupiter and its moons.

The vision was made all the lovelier by the appearance of Venus on the scene, just before sunrise. Venus was shining near its maximum magnitude of -4.7, a beacon below Jupiter and the moon in the gathering light of day.

Venus rises brightly below the crescent moon and the exiting Jupiter as Aldeberan shines above and to the right of the Morning Star. Photo: Ira Machefsky

Finally, a scene that few got to see: Sunrise at our observing location, the rim of the world's largest erosion crater, Machtesh Ramon:

Sunrise on Machtesh Ramon, after the Jupiter occultation. Photo: Ira Machefsky

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G-d Save the Queen!

Not to be a name dropper, but can I mention that tonight we had a star tour with Laurence Gould and his brother Matthew Gould, the present ambassador to Israel from Great Britain. Laurence's wife Liz also came for the tour, although a smidge tired she said, as did network security expert Chris Gerling from the US with his charming young companion Vicky from Tel Aviv University. Ido and Tamar were looking for a sprinkling of star dust which I was happy to oblige with. Celia, the ambassador's wife, stayed at the hotel with their young daughter.

The Starman of Mitzpe Ramon with Matthew Gould, the British ambassador to Israel, in the lobby of the Beresheet Hotel.

Full Moon Over Machtesh Ramon

A beautiful full moon rose over Machtesh Ramon on July 3rd. We happened to be out and about and so captured it here. The colors were much more subtle than my camera could capture, and the moon was a giant creamy balloon hanging in the sky.

Moonrise over the rock wall along the promenade in Mitzpe Ramon.

Moonrise over Machtesh Ramon with Shen Ramon, a gigantic basalt upthrust, to the lower right.

The grey shadow of the earth cast by the setting sun against the sky is seen just above the full moon.

Full moon, Machtesh Ramon, Shen Ramon (Ramon's Tooth).

Full moon tableau from Mitzpe Ramon.

Moon to Occult Jupiter in Rare July 15th, 2012 Event

A rare, major and hugely memorable event will occur early in the morning of Sunday, July 15th when the moon passes in front of the planet Jupiter (astronomers call this an "occultation") blocking it from view for about an hour. As the moon then moves eastward in its monthly orbit around the earth, Jupiter will be uncovered about an hour later. This event is not receiving much publicity because it will not be visible from the US, but the Middle East and Africa will have a front row seat. In addition to Jupiter, the four bright moons of Jupiter, the "Galilean satellites", will also be occulted in the course of this event. This is a very rare  event, although as of this writing I don't know when the next occultation of Jupiter will be visible from Israel.

The moon, Jupiter and Venus as seen on the morning of June 17, 2012, rising above Mitzpe Ramon. The moon just missed Jupiter on this pass. On the early morning of July 15th at 4:01AM IDT the moon will pass in front of Jupiter, occulting it.

The tableau in the east in the early morning sky is already quite stunning. Jupiter, with Venus below it, shine brightly like beacons with the Pleiades star cluster above and the Hyades star cluster below, and ruby-red star Aldeberan (Alpha Tauri) set like a jewel at the bottom. Really, this alone is worth rising early to see. But on the morning of July 15th, starting about 3:30AM, this tableau will rise in the east with the waning, crescent  moon accompanying the entourage. Beginning at 4:01AM, the moon will cover Jupiter and it's Galilean satellites over the course of a few minutes, blotting them out of the sky. About an hour later they will pop out from behind the moon one by one. All the angels will sing, "Hosannah in the Highest!"

How the sky will look on the morning of July 15, 2012, 4:01AM IDT, from Israel, just after the occultation begins. This star map doesn't even begin to hint at the glory in the east at this event.

These occultations are memorable events just when seen with the naked eye. The proximity of so many bright heavenly bodies near each other is one of the most beautiful sights the sky has to offer. Through any kind of optical instrument the grandeur is even greater. You will need at least binoculars to see the Galilean satellites occulted. A telescope, of almost any size, will show much more, including the cloud-striped disk of Jupiter as it slides behind the bright, crater-scared rim of the moon and reappears from behind the dark side of the moon. I remember every occultation I have ever observed and treasure them as my dearest astronomical memories. You don't have to be in Miztpe Ramon to see this, or even have especially dark skies. But you will need a very clear eastern horizon, since all of these objects will have just risen about 30 minutes before the occultation begins.

An occultation of Jupiter by the moon. Animated gif by Don Parker.

This event will occur low in the east starting at 4:01AM IDT on Sunday morning July 15th and the occultation will end about an hour later, close to sunrise. I will be out all night with my telescopes and binoculars and all are welcome to join me, no cost. This will be an open star party. I hope other amateurs will join with their telescopes. As of this writing I plan to be at the last JNF forest on the left of the road heading up to the Wise observatory, about 1 KM from the Wise observatory on the plateau overlooking Machtesh Ramon. There is a turn-off from the road there that leads to a short dirt road that goes around the forest to where I will be. Check back for any last minute changes.

"Ira" is where the Starman of Mitzpe Ramon currently plans to be on the morning of July 15th in Mitzpe Ramon.

Good luck viewing and remember to "Keep on lookin' up!"

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