Brevard Times

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Solar Eclipse 2012 Ring of Fire Viewing Times on May 20

The Annular Solar Eclipse of 2012 could produce a spectacular 'ring of fire' this coming Sunday on May 20, 2012. The duration of the eclipse will be around four minutes with the exact length of time varying depending on the viewer's specific location.

The 2012 Annular Solar Eclipse comes one day after Earth is expected to be pummeled by a solar flare's coronal mass ejection on May 19, 2012.

A solar eclipse in which the Moon's antumbral shadow traverses Earth (the Moon is too far from Earth to completely cover the Sun). During the maximum phase of an annular eclipse, the Sun appears as a blindingly bright ring surrounding the Moon.

The Greatest eclipse is defined as the instant when the axis of the Moon's shadow cone passes closest to Earth's center. For total eclipses, the instant of greatest eclipse is virtually identical to the instants of greatest magnitude and greatest duration. However, for annular eclipses such as this one, the instant of greatest duration may occur at either the time of greatest eclipse or near the sunrise and sunset points of the eclipse path.

The Greatest Eclipse will pass over northern California, Nevada, southwestern Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, southwestern Colorado, an northwest Texas. A partial solar eclipse will be easily viewable in parts of the U.S. that are west of the Appalachian Mountain chain.

It will not be visible from the U.S. East Coast, including Florida (except for the panhandle).

These are the viewing times for the May 20 Solar Eclipse where the Greatest Eclipse will occur (which will vary by plus or minus a few minutes depending on viewer's exact location):

Northern California 5:10 p.m. PDT

Nevada 5:18 p.m. PDT

Utah 6:22 p.m. MDT

Arizona 5:24 p.m. MST

New Mexico 5:28 p.m. MDT

Colorado (southwest portion) 6:24 p.m. MDT

Texas 7:30 p.m. CDT

This NASA timelapse video below shows an annular eclipse as seen by JAXA's Hinode satellite on Jan. 4, 2011. An annular eclipse occurs when the moon, slightly more distant from Earth than on average, moves directly between Earth and the sun, thus appearing slightly smaller to observers' eyes; the effect is a bright ring, or annulus of sunlight also called a 'ring of fire', around the silhouette of the moon. (No audio.)

Image and Video Credit: NASA

Saturday, May 19, 2012

2012 Annular Solar Eclipse 'Ring of Fire' On May 20

It will not be visible from the U.S. East Coast, including Florida (except for the panhandle).

These are the viewing times for the May 20 Solar Eclipse where the Greatest Eclipse will occur (which will vary by plus or minus a few minutes depending on viewer's exact location):

Northern California 5:10 p.m. PDT

Nevada 5:18 p.m. PDT

Utah 6:22 p.m. MDT

Arizona 5:24 p.m. MST

New Mexico 5:28 p.m. MDT

Colorado (southwest portion) 6:24 p.m. MDT

Texas 7:30 p.m. CDT

Solar Flare To Hit Earth Today From Monster Sun Spot

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida -- An enormous sun spot named AR 1476 is producing solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CME). The largest solar flare was a C3 class that erupted on May 17, 2012. This solar flare's associated coronal mass ejection is expected to hit earth today on May 19, 2012.

2012 Annular Solar Eclipse 'Ring of Fire' On May 20

According to the joint U.S. Air Force / NOAA report of Solar and Geophysical Activity, Earth's geomagnetic field is expected to be at quiet to unsettled levels with isolated active periods on May 19, 2012 due to a possible shock arrival from the May 17 coronal mass ejection:

Joint USAF/NOAA Report of Solar and Geophysical Activity
SDF Number 139 Issued at 2200Z on 18 May 2012

IA.  Analysis of Solar Active Regions and Activity from  17/2100Z
to 18/2100Z:  Solar activity was at low levels.  The largest flare
was a C3 at 18/0823Z from old Region 1476 (N10, L=180), which
rotated off the disk.  A filament eruption was observed in SDO/AIA
304 imagery beginning at 18/0510Z near Region 1482 (N15W17).  An
associated CME was observed in STEREO A COR 2 imagery beginning at
18/0709Z with an estimated plane-of-sky speed of approximately 482
km/s.  The majority of the ejecta appeared to be slightly north of
the ecliptic plane, however a glancing blow is likely.

IB.  Solar Activity Forecast:  Solar activity is expected to be at
low levels with a slight chance for an M-class flare all three days
(19 - 21 May).

IIA.  Geophysical Activity Summary 17/2100Z to 18/2100Z:
The geomagnetic field was at quiet to unsettled levels.  The greater
than 100 MeV proton event at geosynchronous orbit that began at
17/0200Z, reached a maximum of 20.4 pfu at 17/0230Z and ended at
17/1725Z.  The greater than 10 MeV proton event is currently
hovering close to the 10 pfu threshold (S1).

IIB.  Geophysical Activity Forecast:  The geomagnetic field is
expected to be at quiet to unsettled levels with isolated active
periods on day 1 (19 May) due to a possible shock arrival from the
17 May CME.  Quiet to unsettled conditions are expected on day 2 (20
May).  Mostly quiet conditions are expected on day 3 (21 May). 
There is a slight chance for shock enhancement of the greater than
10 MeV protons above 10 pfu on day 1.

III.  Event Probabilities 19 May-21 May
Class M    10/10/10
Class X    01/01/01
Proton     20/05/01
PCAF       green

IV.  Penticton 10.7 cm Flux
Observed           18 May 132
Predicted   19 May-21 May  135/135/130
90 Day Mean        18 May 115

V.  Geomagnetic A Indices
Observed Afr/Ap 17 May  005/004
Estimated Afr/Ap 18 May  008/008
Predicted Afr/Ap 19 May-21 May  009/010-008/008-006/005

VI.  Geomagnetic Activity Probabilities 19 May-21 May
A.  Middle Latitudes
Active                25/10/05
Minor storm           15/05/01
Major-severe storm    05/01/01
B.  High Latitudes
Active                30/15/10
Minor storm           20/10/05
Major-severe storm    05/01/01

PHOTO AND VIDEO CREDIT: NASA

SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Launch Scrubbed

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida -- The launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with its Dragon spacecraft was aborted just one second before its scheduled launch from the Space Launch Complex-40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station just east of Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA reported today.

The rocket engines had begun to fire, and the abort left the Falcon 9 on the launch pad in a cloud of rocket engine exhaust.

The updated weather forecast for launch is 80% favorable weather. The aborted mission was due to technical difficulties. NASA says a launch computer automatically triggered the abort of the SpaceX Faclon 9 launch sequence.

Early data shows that the chamber pressure on Engine 5 of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket was high, causing the abort. The exact cause remains under investigation.

NASA will hold a post-scrub news conference this morning at 6:30 a.m.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch has been rescheduled for 3:44 a.m. on May 22, 2012.

There was a single instantaneous launch opportunity at 4:55 a.m. EDT on May 19 for the second SpaceX demonstration launch for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS)

IMAGE CREDIT: NASA TV

Shuttle Booster Recovery Ship To Image SpaceX Launch Today

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida -- The SCIFLI (Scientifically Calibrated In Flight Imagery) team, based at NASA's Langley Research Center In Hampton, Va., is preparing to capture high definition video and thermal imagery of the SpaceX launch as the Falcon 9 rocket and its Dragon capsule climb through the atmosphere on their way to the International Space Station on Saturday, May 19, 2012.

The team will have sophisticated optical systems stationed on the ground near Daytona Beach and for the first time ever on board a ship, the Freedom Star. The Freedom Star and its sister ship, Liberty Star, which were built to recover space shuttle solid rocket boosters, will also track the spacecraft during the mission using NASA diagnostic radar systems. Both ships will be off the coast of the northeastern United States. They are home ported at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station adjacent to Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

NASA has contracted with Celestial Computing Incorporated (CCI) of Boston, Mass., to outfit the Freedom Star with a gyro-stabilized kineto tracking mount and specialized hardware to protect against the harsh conditions the system will face in the north Atlantic.

"This ship-based imaging capability is unique," said NASA Langley Principal Investigator Tom Horvath. "NASA did not possess a shipboard gyro-stabilized tracker with the large aperture/long focal length optics coupled to state-of-the-art detectors."

NASA will train the two imaging systems at the spacecraft to help monitor its performance and capture key events during ascent, including release of the Dragon capsule and solar panel deployments. This will be the first use of a ship-based high definition visual and infrared imaging system to support Commercial Orbital Transportation System (COTS) project flights. The COTS project is part of the Commercial Crew and Cargo Program, led out of NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.

The team tested the new optical system on the Freedom Star during a day sail from Cape Canaveral. They checked out the ship's communications system, the NASA diagnostic radar, and kineto tracking mount to confirm that these systems are ready to support the mission. "They work together sort of like synchronized swimmers," said project manager Melinda Cagle from NASA Langley.

The day sail also gave the SCIFLI team a chance to gain experience operating at sea by performing maintenance on the system, confirming communications links, and confirming the design of the mounting system and environmental enclosure.

The SCIFLI team builds upon the success of the Hypersonic Thermodynamic Infrared Measurements (HYTHIRM) team by expanding capability while reducing cost. HYTHIRM has a history of capturing challenging thermal images at speeds as high as Mach 18. The project successfully recorded the space shuttle heat signature during re-entry on seven different Shuttle missions, using ground and airborne systems.

PHOTO: NASA

Watch SpaceX Falcon 9 Launch Live

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida -- The fueling of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with its Dragon spacecraft was completed around 3 a.m. this morning just two hours before its scheduled launch from the Space Launch Complex-40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, NASA reported today.

Watch the historic launch live below.

The official SpaceX twitter hashtag for this mornings launch is #DragonLaunch.

Live video for mobile from Ustream

IMAGE CREDIT: NASA TV

SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Fueling Complete, 'GO' For Launch

The updated weather forecast for launch is 80% favorable weather.

The second SpaceX demonstration launch for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) is scheduled for a liftoff on Saturday, May 19. There is a single instantaneous launch opportunity at 4:55 a.m. EDT.

During the flight, SpaceX's Dragon capsule will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including the capability to rendezvous and berth with the International Space Station (ISS). The primary objectives for the flight include a flyby of the space station at a distance of approximately 1.5 miles to validate the operation of sensors and flight systems necessary for a safe rendezvous and approach.

The spacecraft also will demonstrate the ability to abort the rendezvous. Once these capabilities are successfully proven, the Dragon will be cleared to berth with the space station.

This follows a launch dress rehearsal on April 30 by the SpaceX launch team that concluded with a brief engine firing to verify the company's Falcon 9 rocket is ready to launch. The practice countdown also tested some of the systems on the Dragon spacecraft that will fly to the space station.

During the flight, SpaceX's Dragon capsule will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station (ISS).

The primary objectives for the flight include a flyby of the ISS at a distance of approximately 1.5 miles to validate the operation of sensors and flight systems necessary for a safe rendezvous and approach. The spacecraft also will demonstrate the ability to abort the rendezvous. After these capabilities are successfully proven, the Dragon will be cleared to berth with the ISS.

Watch SpaceX Falcon 9 Launch Live

IMAGE CREDIT: NASA TV