Return-path: X-Andrew-Authenticated-as: 7997;andrew.cmu.edu;Ted Anderson Received: from corsica.andrew.cmu.edu via trymail for +dist+/afs/andrew.cmu.edu/usr1/ota/space/space.dl@andrew.cmu.edu (->+dist+/afs/andrew.cmu.edu/usr1/ota/space/space.dl) (->ota+space.digests) ID ; Fri, 30 Jun 89 05:17:06 -0400 (EDT) Message-ID: Reply-To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU From: space-request+@Andrew.CMU.EDU To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU Date: Fri, 30 Jun 89 05:16:57 -0400 (EDT) Subject: SPACE Digest V9 #524 SPACE Digest Volume 9 : Issue 524 Today's Topics: Re: Vaguely-space-related queries Re: HST update - from the horse's mouth "Space" TV show Rockets Re: Fuel for lunar trip LDEF retrieval fact sheet (Forwarded) CRESCENT MOON - MON 3 JULY 1989 (LONG) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 27 Jun 89 15:58:30 GMT From: jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!utgpu!utzoo!henry@rutgers.edu (Henry Spencer) Subject: Re: Vaguely-space-related queries In article wmartin@ST-LOUIS-EMH2.ARMY.MIL (Will Martin) writes: >1) Regarding X-ray astronomy -- the X-ray detectors must be placed into space, >either into orbit or on brief sounding-rocket flights, because the X-rays are >absorbed by the atmosphere and do not reach the surface... WHY are >X-rays absorbed by the atmosphere when they can penetrate materials that are >opaque to visible light? If light can get through the atmosphere and hit >the surface, one would expect X-rays to have even greater pepnetrating >ability... The atmosphere's transparency is not a simple function of wavelength. Most any astronomy text, in fact, will show you a graph of atmospheric absorption versus wavelength; it's a terrible mess. The atmosphere is *almost* fully transparent at visible wavelengths, but elsewhere things vary wildly. More energy hurts rather than helping, because it increases the chances of interaction with the atmosphere. X-rays are medically useful because they are penetrating but not *too* penetrating -- they will go through some mass but are blocked by substantial mass, like bones or shielding. They penetrate atmosphere well over short distances but not over long ones. The fireball of a nuclear explosion is air heated incandescent by X-rays. Remember that one atmosphere of pressure, 14.7 psi, means that there are 14.7 pounds of air between space and every square inch of the Earth's surface. That's really quite a lot of shielding. >2) Regarding elementary particles -- one of their characteristics is called >"spin". Is this REALLY "spin" the way a top spins... Or is it a term that >is convenient and used to describe a quality of the particle, like "charm". It may have started out as the former, but nowadays it is definitely known to be the latter. Macroscopic rules don't apply in particle physics. >3) The 11-year (or so) Solar Cycle -- I realize the duration of this cycle >varies, and the one we are in now seems to be a mite shorter than normal. >Do we know what causes this cycling? ... I don't know that anyone really has a clear idea of its underlying cause. Clearly it's some sort of oscillation in the Sun. We know some of its symptoms but not its real cause, as I understand the situation. -- NASA is to spaceflight as the | Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology US government is to freedom. | uunet!attcan!utzoo!henry henry@zoo.toronto.edu ------------------------------ Date: 22 Jun 89 18:39:09 GMT From: portal!cup.portal.com!hkhenson@uunet.uu.net (H Keith Henson) Subject: Re: HST update - from the horse's mouth In article <626@stsci.edu> sims@stsci.EDU (Jim Sims) writes: >However, if you deploy it at maximum altitude (with such a light payload), >you can't get back to it again with ANY payload, since rendevous is a LOT >more expensive than just tossing something over the side wherever you happen >to be at the time. This means that if something goes wrong (don't _even_ thin >about it), you have to wait for the orbit to decay to a sufficiently low >altitude to go fix it. (If we can't even get into orbit, the chances of NASA >flying a mission with NO payload just to fix up the HST are minimal to nil) You know, this is really stupid. Since this mission is not weight limited, why don't they put a high specific impulse electric drive on it to move it up and down in orbit? I know that ion engines have never been rated for acutual *use*, but if it didn't work, NASA wouldn't be any worse off than they are now. Keith Henson ------------------------------ Date: 26 Jun 89 15:27:38 GMT From: philmtl!philabs!briar.philips.com!rfc@uunet.uu.net (Robert Casey;6282;3.57;$0201) Subject: "Space" TV show Last week, on Friday, I saw the tail end of a TV show called something like "Space". It showed a fictional ill-fated Apollo 18 mission. Something to the effect that a solar storm happens when the astronauts are on the Moon, they get sick, and thus fail to fly the lunar module correctly and then crash it. I know it's fake, but I wonder how many people might think this really happened. Especially when you tune in after the show started, and you think, "Oh they're doing a drammazation of the history of our moon missions, think I'll get a beer and watch it". :-) ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 27 Jun 1989 20:33 +02 From: Alex Bochannek Subject: Rockets To: Dear friends! A friend of my and I we both plan to build a tiny rocket in our spacetime, but we don't actually have a plan for doing it. Some days ago anyone told about a book from 1947 (I forgot the guy's name, sorry ) and this seemed to very fitting for us, or what do You think? Any other recommendations for building rockets are appreciated :-) Alex ------------------------------ Date: 28 Jun 89 02:44:47 GMT From: jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!utgpu!utzoo!henry@rutgers.edu (Henry Spencer) Subject: Re: Fuel for lunar trip In article <8906271737.AA00517@aristotle.Jpl.Nasa.Gov> pjs@ARISTOTLE-GW.JPL.NASA.GOV (Peter Scott) writes: >>At one point there was a proposal to take up water ballast on shuttle missions >>that were volume-limited... > >Water takes up volume too... Yes, but *much* less. Squeezing in a modest water tank would not be overly difficult, especially if you put it in the innards rather than in the payload bay. -- NASA is to spaceflight as the | Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology US government is to freedom. | uunet!attcan!utzoo!henry henry@zoo.toronto.edu ------------------------------ Date: 28 Jun 89 00:43:08 GMT From: trident.arc.nasa.gov!yee@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) Subject: LDEF retrieval fact sheet (Forwarded) LDEF RETRIEVAL FACT SHEET NASA is planning Space Shuttle mission STS-32 in December 1989, using orbiter Columbia, to retrieve the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF). This free-flying satellite, carrying 57 science, technology and applications experiments sponsored by NASA, the Department of Defense, private industry, universities and foreign governments, was launched on STS-41C and deployed into orbit in April 1984. After more than 5 years in space, LDEF is a unique and valuable repository of information on space environmental effects. LDEF also has valuable science and applications data on board. The data will have critical design implications for spacecraft that have requirements for long-duration flight in low-Earth orbit. However, before scientists can study this data, LDEF must be retrieved. Otherwise, the spacecraft and its experiments will be destroyed during reentry. Recognizing the significance of LDEF, NASA has been monitoring the spacecraft's orbital altitude and making every effort to ensure a timely and successful retrieval. Prior to 1988, LDEF was expected to be in orbit until the mid-1990s. This expectation rested on the belief that the 11-year solar flux cycle would be close to normal. A higher rate of solar flux increases the density of the LDEF orbital environment which, in turn, accelerates the LDEF altitude decay rate. In early 1988 during solar cycle 22, the levels indicated that solar activity during this cycle might approach the maximum of past cycles. On this basis, a mid to late 1990 LDEF reentry was predicted. Accordingly, NASA planned a Space Shuttle mission to retrieve LDEF. To protect against the uncertainties in solar activity and potential schedule delays, this mission was inserted in the Shuttle manifest as early as possible, consistent with the minimum lead times required for crew training and other mission planning. Since prediction of solar flux is not a science, a panel of experts has been advising NASA for the past year. During this period, the predictions have continued to change significantly. In early April 1989, LDEF reentry projections ranged from November 1989 to January 1990 or later, with December 1989 as a "best estimate." However, during the month of May, the flux was significantly less than predicted. The latest reentry estimate is January 1990. Each month a new forecast is developed for the next 90 days. Every week, NASA updates the reentry predictions with LDEF altitude information obtained from tracking data and the latest solar flux projections. Should the erratic solar activity cause LDEF to reenter the Earth's atmosphere before it can be retrieved, there is only an extremely remote chance of property damage or personal injury. LDEF's orbit is mainly over water and most of the satellite would break up and burn as it passes through the Earth's atmosphere. ------------------------------ Date: 26 Jun 89 13:25:40 GMT From: phri!cooper!dasys1!mohib@nyu.edu (Mohib) Subject: CRESCENT MOON - MON 3 JULY 1989 (LONG) Replies to: mnd@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Mohib.N.Durrani) Followup for Atmospheric-Optics/Physics: Sci.Physics Followup for Astronomy: Sci.Astro Followup for Space: Sci.Space *************************************************************************** Bismillah hir-Rahman nir-Rahim ( I begin with the name of ALLAH, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful ) THE MUSLIM STUDENTS' ASSOCIATION (MSA) of COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY 102 Earl Hall, Columbia University, NEW YORK, N.Y. 10027 SUBJECT: CRESCENT MOON: FIRST VISIBILITY (every lunar month) ************************************************************** NEXT CRESCENT (NEW) MOON, HILAL: Mon 3 JULY 1989, evening (*) for the 12th. Islamic Month of ZUL-HAJJ, 1409, the month starting on Tue 4 July 1989, for USA-CANADA and S.America, and possibly from points west of Greenwich, England; and on Wed 5 July 1989, for all points West of Hawaii, till the places of first sighting of Mon 3 July, evening. It is IMPOSSIBLE for the Crescent Moon to be visible on Sun 2 July 1989, worldwide. (*) Hilal (crescent) sightings would be in the evenings, at least 10 minutes after sunset, usually before 20 minutes, and upto 40 to 90 minutes after sunset; near and along the sun's path. ISLAMIC DATES: 1409 ZUL-HAJJ: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (sight on 4th) 1989 JULY : 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 We Th Fr Sa Su Mo Tu We Th Fr (HAJJ-AKBAR, for S.Arabia) OR ISLAMIC DATES: 1409 ZUL-HAJJ: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (sight on 3th) 1989 JULY : 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Tu We Th Fr Sa Su Mo Tu We Th (HAJJ-not Akbar, for S.Arabia) We are conducting research/survey on the recorded WORLD-WIDE first sightings of the "CRESCENT MOON, FIRST VISIBILITY" in the evenings, for every lunar month. Some TECHNICAL INFO. is at the end. PHOTOGRAPHS / SLIDES ARE MOST WELCOME since they are very helpful in the research. Please also pass on the request to your friends who are interested in astronomy/physics and to your local amateur astronomy associations. We would very much like to hear from you. Please respond either by email or by letter. The survey results are to enhance the present ATMOSPHERIC MODEL and fine tune some parameters regarding SCATTERING/VISION. When reporting actual Crescent-Hilal sightings, (even if you do not see it) PLEASE INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: HILAL was visible to naked eye?......... Hilal sighted in binoculars?......... EXACT TIMES: Complete Sunset at......... Hilal First Visible....... End....... HEIGHT-Degrees: Hilal highest........... Hilal lowest (faded/set)............. ORIENTATION: Ends of Hilal Curve: Start at.......'O Clock:End at.....'O Clock (Right is 3'O Clock:Bottom is 6'O Clock: Left is 9'O Clock: Top is 12'O Clock) WEATHER condition: Rel.Humidity......... Temperature..... Pressure............ Sky near western horizon: Clear?........ Hazy?........... Cloudy?............. OBSERVER: Age.... Eyesight: Glasses?.... Far sighted?.... Near sighted?....... Name....................... Date........ Location............................. Thanks. Email to: mnd@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Mohib.N.Durrani) Mail: Dr.Mohib.N.Durrani Islamic Amateur Astronomers Association (Research Division) 601 West 113 Street, Suite 11-K Columbia University NEW YORK, N.Y. 10025 United States of America ***************************************************************************** Some ORBITAL details for the SUN and MOON: Lunation No.: 823 NEW MOON (not crescent visible moon): 1989 July 3d 04h 59m UT (Universal Time), Monday (Universal Time, i.e. mean solar time on the meridian of Greenwich) EQUATORIAL coords.(0h UT) ECLIPTIC coords.(for 0h UT) Date Sun Sun MOON MOON Sun MOON MOON MOON JULY R.A. Decl. R.A. Decl. Long. Long. Lat. true Elong '89 Alpha Delta Alpha Delta Lambda Lambda Beta from Sun hr deg hr deg deg deg deg deg 2 Su 6.74 23.01 5.61 27.86 100.25 84.75 4.53 W 16 * 3 Mo 6.81 22.97 6.64 26.99 101.20 98.55 3.83 W 5 4 Tu 6.88 22.86 7.62 24.52 102.16 112.07 2.93 E 10 5 We 6.95 22.74 8.54 20.78 103.11 125.25 1.88 E 22 ***************************************************************************** 1989 JULY 3 (Mon) evening (event times are the approximate Civil - clock - Standard times) (nearest) (+N,-S) (W) Sun MOON at Sunset unaided eye CITY LAT LONG SET SET AGE-MOON SIGHTING ************* deg deg h m h m h m ********** MECCA-S.Arabia 20 320 19 04 19 31 11 05 IMPOSSIBLE MOSCOW - USSR 56 320 21 08 21 52 13 09 DIFFICULT CAIRO - Egypt 30 330 19 05 19 37 12 06 DIFFICULT ISTANBUL-Turk 40 330 19 32 20 08 12 33 DIFFICULT CAPETOWN-S.Af -35 340 16 40 16 34 10 41 IMPOSSIBLE LAGOS-Nigeria 10 355 18 05 18 35 13 06 DIFFICULT % GREENWICH-Engl 50 0 20 12 20 56 15 13 PROBABLE DAKAR-Senegal 10 20 18 45 19 19 14 46 DIFFICULT RIO DeJENEIRO -20 45 17 32 18 03 15 33 DIFFICULT PARAMARIBO-Suri 0 55 17 48 18 16 16 49 PROBABLE BUNOS ARESarg -35 60 17 00 17 26 16 01 PROBABLE LIMA-Peru S.A -10 80 18 10 18 49 18 11 PROBABLE % (add 1 hr to event time, for summer DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME, from early April to end of October) For some of these cities (Greenwich-Lima) the Cresent may be VISIBLE on the evening of Mon 3 July 1989, hence the New Islamic Month of Zul Hajj may start from Tue 4 July 1989. For those places where the Crescent is not visible on Mon 3 July 1989, the Crescent - Hilal - will be visible on the next evening, Tue 4 July 1989, inshALLAH, and for these places the New Islamic Month of Zul Hajj would start from Wed 5 July 1989. ***************************************************************************** 1989 JULY 3 (Mon) evening (event times are the approximate Civil - clock - Standard times) (nearest) (+N,-S) (W) Sun MOON at Sunset unaided eye CITY LAT LONG SET SET AGE-MOON SIGHTING ************* deg deg h m h m h m ********** % HALIFAX -CNDA 44 65 20 07 21 21 19 08 PROBABLE % NEW YORK -USA 40 75 19 32 20 20 19 33 PROBABLE % JACKSONVIL-Fl 30 80 19 25 20 11 19 26 PROBABLE % SAN DIEGO-USA 35 115 18 57 19 48 21 58 MOST PROBABLE % SAN FRANCISCO 40 120 19 32 20 24 22 33 MOST PROBABLE % VANCOUVER-CND 50 125 20 32 21 26 23 33 MOST PROBABLE % ANCHORAGE-Als 62 150 21 48 22 42 26 49 MOST PROBABLE % HONOLULU -Hwi 20 160 18 24 19 18 24 25 MOST PROBABLE % (add 1 hr to event time, for summer DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME, from early April to end of October) When the CRESCENT is visible on Mon 3 JULY 1989 anywhere from Halifax, New York, Jacksonville, San Diego, San Francisco, to Vancouver, then in the USA-CANADA the next Islamic month of Zul Hajj starts on Tue 4 JULY 1989. (INCREASE date one day, if crossing EAST TO WEST) ###################### INTERNATIONAL DATE LINE ###################### (DECREASE date one day, if crossing WEST TO EAST) 1989 JULY 3 (Mon) evening (event times are the approximate Civil - clock - Standard times) (nearest) (+N,-S) (W) Sun MOON at Sunset unaided eye CITY LAT LONG SET SET AGE-MOON SIGHTING ************* deg deg h m h m h m ********** SIDNEY-Austra -35 210 17 00 16 30 2 01 IMPOSSIBLE TOKYO - Japan 35 220 18 57 19 16 4 58 IMPOSSIBLE PEKING -China 40 245 19 52 20 17 6 53 IMPOSSIBLE JAKARTA-Indon -10 250 17 30 17 38 5 31 IMPOSSIBLE DACCA -B.Desh 20 270 18 44 19 04 7 45 IMPOSSIBLE AGRA - India 30 280 18 45 19 10 8 46 IMPOSSIBLE PESHAWAR -Pak 35 290 19 37 20 05 9 38 IMPOSSIBLE BUKHARA -USSR 40 295 19 12 19 44 10 13 IMPOSSIBLE TEHRAN - Iran 35 310 18 57 19 28 10 58 IMPOSSIBLE For all of these cities (Sidney-Tehran) the Cresent will be IMPOSSIBLE to sight on Mon 4 July 1989. The Crescent will be Visible on Tue 5 July 1989. hence the New Lunar Month of Zul Hajj may start on Wed 6 July 1989. ***************************************************************************** Please note that the Islamic dates start from Sundown of a previous day. ***************************************************************************** ISLAMIC GREGORIAN MOON - MOON - MOON - MOON - MOON Sun - EARTH YEAR YEAR (All times are in UT = Universal Time) MONTHS LUNA. NEW MOON MOON-PERIGEE MOON-APOGEE Sun & EARTH NO. (NOT visible) (nearest) (farthest) d h m d h d h d h 1409 1989 6 JUMA-II 817 JAN 7 19 22 JAN 10 23 JAN 27 00 JAN 1 22 Perihelion 7 RAJAB 818 FEB 6 07 37 FEB 7 22 FEB 23 14 8 SHABAN 819 MAR 7 18 19 MAR 8 08 MAR 22 18 MAR 20 15 Equinox 9 RAMADAN 820 APR 6 03 33 APR 5 20 APR 18 21 10 SHAWWAL 821 MAY 5 11 46 MAY 4 05 MAY 16 09 11 QADAH 822 JUN 3 19 53 JUN 1 05 JUN 13 02 JUN 21 10 Solstice *12 HAJJ 823 JUL 3 04 59 JUN 28 04 JUL 10 21 JUL 4 12 Aphelion ***************************************************************************** ISLAMIC GREGORIAN MOON - MOON - MOON - MOON - MOON Sun - EARTH YEAR YEAR (All times are in UT = Universal Time) MONTHS LUNA. NEW MOON MOON-PERIGEE MOON-APOGEE Sun/EARTH NO. (NOT visible) (nearest) (farthest) d h m d h d h d h 1410 1989 1 MUHARAM 824 AUG 1 16 06 JUL 23 07 AUG 7 15 2 SAFR 825 AUG 31 05 44 AUG 19 12 SEP 4 08 SEP 23 01 Equinox 3 RABI-I 826 SEP 29 21 47 SEP 16 15 OCT 1 20 4 RABI-II 827 OCT 29 15 27 OCT 15 01 OCT 28 22 5 JUMA-I 828 NOV 28 09 41 NOV 12 13 NOV 25 04 6 JUMA-II 829 DEC 28 03 20 DEC 10 23 DEC 22 19 DEC 21 21 Solstice ***************************************************************************** Perihelion = Earth Closest to Sun (Sun moving FASTEST in sky-Jan 1) Equinox = Earth has Equal Daylight and Darkness (Mar 20 & Sept 23) Solstice = Sun apparantly Stationary in Declination (Maximum of Summer-June 21 OR Minimum of Winter-Dec 21) Aphelion = Earth Farthest from Sun (Sun moving SLOWEST in sky-Jul 4) Perigee = Moon Closest to Earth (Moon moving FASTEST in sky) Apogee = Moon Farthest from Earth (Moon moving SLOWEST in sky) **************************************************************************** **************************************************************************** APPROXIMATIONS TO DIRECTION OF KA'BA (MECCA Saudi Arabia) In most places of the UNITED STATES of AMERICA, an approximation to the direction of KA'BA, to determine the direction of Salat (prayers), can be obtained by noting the direction of your shadow near the time of Sunset. The direction in which your shadow goes is usually a little north of east. This is the direction in which salat can be performed, as an approximation. This direction changes during the different months of the year but is a good approximation when there is no magnetic compass to determine the exact direction. **************************************************************************** EID UL ADHA *********** For information regarding the Eid, please contact your local Islamic Center or the national organizations: 1. Islamic Society of North America Tel: (317) 839-1810 2. Committee for Crescent Observation Tel: (607) 277-6706 **************************************************************************** QURANIC INJUNCTIONS FOR HAJJ **************************** SURA AL-IMRAN (Chapter 3), AYAT (Verse) 97 ... PILGRIMAGE TO THE HOUSE (KABA) IS A DUTY MEN OWE TO ALLAH; THOSE WHO CAN AFFORD THE JOURNEY ... . SURA AL-BAQARAH (Chap.2), Ayaat 196-203 196. And complete the HAJJ or Umra in the service of ALLAH. ... SURA HAJJ (PILGRIMAGE) (Chap.22), Ayaat 26-38. 26. Behold! We gave the site, to Ibrahim (Abraham), of the (Sacred) House, (Saying): "Associate not anything (in worship) with Me; And sanctify My House for those who compass it round, Or stand up, or bow, or prostrate themselves (therein in prayer). 27. "And proclaim the Pilgrimage among men: ... Please also see newsgroup: soc.culture.african soc.culture.arabic soc.culture.turkish **************************************************************************** Copyright Dr.M.N.Durrani, 1989 Permission to copy for free distribution is granted to all, please do give credit and reference. Thanks For further information, please feel free to contact: Mail: Dr.Mohib.N.Durrani Islamic Amateur Astronomers Association (Research Division) 601 West 113 Street, Suite 11-K Columbia University NEW YORK, N.Y. 10025 United States of America Email to: mnd@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Mohib.N.Durrani) ***************************** End of Document ****************************** -- Mohib N Durrani Big Electric Cat Public UNIX ..!cmcl2!{ccnysci,cucard,hombre}!dasys1!mohib ------------------------------ End of SPACE Digest V9 #524 *******************