Wednesday, April 17, 2013
The flight from a launchpad on the Virginia coast is a test run for a system that could eventually resupply the International Space Station.
The test flight for a space capsule system intended to help resupply the International Space Station is scheduled to launch from the Virginia coastline on Wednesday. If weather conditions are favorable, the craft may be visible from the Northern Rhode Island region as it ascends into orbit. The Antares rocket, developed by Virginia-based Orbital Sciences Corporation, is expected to launch at 5 p.m., though the launch window extends until 8 p.m., should weather or other factors require a delay. The Los Angeles Times reports that it will be carrying a roughly four-ton dummy payload intended to simulate the company's Cygnus space capsule, which NASA and the company hope will soon be transporting materials to the space station. Orbital, …
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Comet visible after sunset throughout March.
Woonsocket residents' best opportunity to see Comet PANSTARRS may well be tonight, reports NASA - but when the month is out, you're probably not getting a second chance. The opportunity to see PANSTARRS only comes along every 100 million years, according to space.com. PANSTARRS will be be visible in the Northern Hemisphere for about 15 minutes after sunset until the end of March. To see PANSTARRS, look to the west after right after the sun goes down. To have the best chance of viewing night sky objects, you'll need to get as far away from local light pollution as possible. Readers commenting on past Woonsocket Patch articles about good local viewing spots have suggested Resurrection Cemetery in Cumberland. The cemetery itself is closed…
Thursday, December 13, 2012
With a new moon and clear skies expected Thursday night, this year's Geminid meteor shower should sparkle.
- GOVERNMENT
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Thursday, December 13, 2012
The final major meteor shower of the year, the Geminid meteor shower 2012, will peak overnight on Thursday, Dec. 13 into Friday morning and if you are willing to stay up late and drive away from the city's lights, you should be able to see a great show. NASA reports that the Geminids is a relatively young meteor shower, with the first sightings occurring in the 1830s with rates of about 20 per hour. Over time the rate of visible meteors has increased and now viewers can expect to see 80 and 120 meteors per hour at its peak. Earthsky.org reports viewers can begin to watch the Geminids starting at 9 or 10 p.m. on Thursday. The peak will likely be between 1 to 3 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 14. That’s when the shower’s radiant point is highest in …
Monday, August 27, 2012
Vote in our Patch Poll on the legacy of his historic first steps on the moon.
His family called him "a reluctant American hero,' just doing his job. But Neil A. Armstrong, who died Saturday of complications from heart bypass surgery, was a hero. He was just shy of his 39th birthday when he lumbered down the ladder from the Apollo 11 spacecraft and stepped onto the stark lunar landscape on July 20, 1969. "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind," he said, as Americans around the country watched in awe at the live footage from dark space, so far away. That step fulfilled a challenge President John F. Kennedy issued in the early 1960s —to put a man on the moon by the end of the decade. Armstrong began his career as a Navy fighter pilot and test pilot before being tapped for a highly selective position…
Saturday, August 11, 2012
While the forecast for Saturday night isn't favorable, there should be clear skies Sunday to watch the meteors.
- NEWS
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Saturday, August 11, 2012
While the weather won't be ideal tonight, Sunday's forecast calls for clear skies, the perfect scenario for viewing shooting stars. The Perseids meteor shower is scheduled to peak tonight and Sunday night. It's best to get away from the lights to see the show clearly. Where do you think is the best place to view the show in Woonsocket? Share your idea for the best spot to watch the meteor shower in the comments section below. The Perseids are a meteor shower visible when the Earth passes through the tail of the Swift-Tuttle comet. The meteor shower has been visible for about 2,000 years. The Swift-Tuttle comet orbits once every 133 years, according to NASA. “The Perseids can be seen all over the sky, but the best viewing opportunities …
Mr.Sluggo
11:36 am on Tuesday, August 28, 2012
http://www.truthdig.com/eartotheground/item/neil_armstrong_heads_back_into_the_unknown_20120825/#below more ›