Fone IAAS Monthly Astronomy Newsletter

Astronomy News for the Month of June 2023

This news letter is provided as a service by
The International Association for Astronomical Studies
provides this newsletter as a service for interested persons worldwide.

Downloadable version of the newsletter in
PDF Format
(Right click and select "Save target as" to begin download.)
(Always check the PDF link above if the web page is not updated.
I always publish the PDF before I upload the web page.)
PDF updated 1st of every month!

Visit the Home Page of KIØAR

Subscribe to the
IAAS Monthly Astronomy Newsletter
(Email version)
SUBSCRIBE
Subscription notes below.

Donate to the IAAS!
Shop Smile.Amazon.com, sign up or sign in to
smile.amazon.com
and select the
International Association for Astronomical Studies.
0.5% of every purchase will be donated to the group.
Thank you!

Web and email hosting by
TotalChoice Hosting

Create your own visitor map!

An Open Invitation

For amateur radio operators and scanner enthusiasts, please join the Colorado Astronomy Net on the Rocky Mountain Radio League's K1DUN repeater on 449.450 MHz or other repeaters connected to the SKYHUBLINK system. The net meets on Tuesday nights at 7 P.M. Mountain Time (MDT-US) (Wednesday at 0100 GMT). Connecting to the SkyHubLink system will expand our coverage in the U.S., Canada and internationally. All Amateur radio operators worldwide are welcome. If anyone wishes to "listen" to the net, the RMRL provides a "Live Audio Feed" using Broadcastify.

Obtain your Amateur Radio (Ham) License or your General Radio Operator's License (GROL)! Visit the South Metro VE Team website for more information. The South Metro VE Team provides test sessions by appointment only. Check the website for current information. All others interested in Amateur Radio, check out the Amateur Radio Relay League website to find out more information about becoming an Amateur Radio operator.

The Colorado Astronomy Net and the IAAS are on Facebook.
Please be sure to "Like" us!

Donate to the IAAS!
Thank you for your support!

Excerpts from JPL mission updates are provided as a public service as part
of the JPL Solar System Ambassador/NASA Outreach program.
For special JPL programs and presentations in your area visit the JPL Solar System Ambassador website.
(Click on the logo to link to the JPL SSA homepage.)

In this Newsletter...

The Month - At-A-Glance
Moon
Planets & Dwarf Planets

Planetary Highlights
Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Ceres
Pluto

Astronomical Events

Meteor Showers
Comets
Occultations
Eclipses
Asteroids
Observational Opportunities

Subscriber Gallery
Member Meteor Sightings
Planetary/Lunar Exploration Missions

JPL Latest News
James Webb Space Telescope
Juno
New Horizons
TESS

Mars Missions

JMARS
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
LASP
Maven
Mars 2020 - Perseverance
Mars Science Laboratory - Curiosity
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mission
Mars Odyssey Orbiter
Journey to Mars
Mars Missions Status

Astronomy Links and Other Space News

Colorado Astronomy Links
Radio Astronomy Links
Other Astronomy Links

Astronomical Lexicon
UniverseToday
Acknowledgments and References
Subscription Information

Newsletter Archives
Items of Special Interest to Ham Radio Operators
IAAS News
Web Sites of Interest

Background screen credits: NGC5775
Imaged March 21/22, 2001
using the 16" Kitt Peak Visitors Center telescope
as part of the Kitt Peak Advanced Observing Program.

"The Beehive Cluster (right) in Cancer receives two visitors this month: First Mars (shown here at left) as the month opens, then Venus less than two weeks later." Astronomy Magazine, June 2023, P. 28.
Alan Dyer

The Month At-A-Glance
A calendar displaying the daily astronomical events.

The Moon

Phases

Full Moon occurs on the 3rd.
Last Quarter Moon occurs on the 10th.
New Moon occurs on the 18th.
First Quarter Moon occurs on the 26th.

Apogee/Perigee

The Moon is at Perigee (226,714 miles from Earth) on the 6th.
The Moon is at Apogee (251,895 miles from Earth) on the 22nd.

Moon/Planet Pairs

Mercury passes 3° south of Uranus on the 4th.

The Moon passes 3° south of Saturn on the 9th.

The Moon passes 2° south of Neptune on the 11th.

The Moon passes 1.5° north of Jupiter on the 14th.

The Moon passes 2° north of Uranus on the 15th.

The Moon passes 4° north of Mercury on the 16th.

Mercury passes 4° north of Aldebaran on the 17th.

The Moon passes 4° north of Venus on the 21st.

The Moon passes 4° north of Mars on the 22nd.

For reference: The Full Moon subtends an angle of ~0.5°.

Return to Top

The Planets & Dwarf Planets

Planetary Reports generated by "TheSkyX" software. These reports provide predicted data for the planets for the first of each month for the current year. The rise and set times for the Sun and the Moon for each day of the month as well as meteor shower radiants are also included in the reports. These reports have been optimized for the Denver, Colorado location, however, the times will be approximate for other locations on Earth.

(All times are local unless otherwise noted.)

Planetary Highlights for June "Venus reaches its best for the year as an evening object this month. Its brilliance captures attention long after sunset. Meanwhile, Mars continues to fade but enjoys a beautiful meeting with the Beehive Cluster, a view not to be missed. Saturn and Jupiter appear after midnight and offer some fine views, while the predawn sky hosts Mercury, best seen in the first half of June." Astronomy Magazine, June 2023, P. 28.
	Mercury Rises at 4:32 a.m. on the 1st and about 5:34 a.m. by month's end. Look for Mercury low on the eastern horizon just before sunrise during the first two weeks on the month. Mercury moves from the constellation of Aries into Gemini shining at magnitude 0.4 on the 1st.
	Venus Is at greatest eastern elongation (45°) on the 4th. Venus sets at 11:43 p.m. on the 1st and about 10:49 p.m. by month's end. Look for Venus high in the sky to the west after sunset. Venus moves from the constellation of Gemini into Leo shining at magnitude -4.5 on the 15th.
	Earth Summer solstice occurs at 10:58 A.M. EDT on the 21st.
	Mars Sets at 12:13 a.m. on the 1st and about 11:02 p.m. by month's end. Look for Mars in the southwestern sky in the evening soon after sunset. Mars moves from the constellation of Cancer into Leo shining at magnitude 1.7 on the 15th.
	Jupiter Rises at 3:46 a.m. on the 1st and about 2:04 a.m. by month's end. Jupiter is visible in the southeast before sunrise. Jupiter is in the constellation of Aries shining at magnitude -2.1.
	Saturn Rises at 1:31 a.m. on the 1st and about 11:29 p.m. by month's end. Saturn is stationary on the 18th. Look for Saturn in the early morning sky to the southeast and south before sunrise. Saturn is in the constellation of Aquarius shining at magnitude 0.7.
	Uranus Rises at 4:29 a.m. on the 1st and about 2:36 a.m. by month's end. Uranus can be spotted to the southeast before sunrise. Uranus is in the constellation of Aries shining at magnitude 5.9.
	Neptune Rises at 2:18 a.m. on the 1st and about 12:17 a.m. by month's end. Look for Neptune to the southeast and south before sunrise. Neptune is in the constellation of Pisces shining at magnitude 7.8.
	Dwarf Planets
	Ceres Sets at 3:09 a.m. on the 1st and about 1:15 a.m. by month's end. Look for Ceres to the south in the early evening and to the southwest in the early morning hours after midnight. Ceres is in the constellation of Virgo shining at magnitude 8.4.
	Pluto Rises at 11:46 p.m. on the 1st and about 9:46 p.m. by month's end. Look for Pluto in the south-southwest after midnight when it is highest in the sky. Pluto is in the constellation of Capricornus shining at magnitude 15.1. As always, good luck at spotting Neptune, Ceres and Pluto, a large telescope and dark skies will be needed. Constellation information provided by Go Astronomy.

Return to Top

Astronomical Events

	Meteor Showers The Arietids Meteor Showers - This is the strongest daylight meteor shower of the year. The duration extends from May 22 to July 2, with maximum activity occurring on June 8. The hourly rate is near 60 at maximum. The June Lyrids - This shower is active during June 10 to 21, producing predominantly blue and white meteors at a maximum hourly rate of 8 per hour on June 15. The average magnitude of this shower is near 3, while 32% of the meteors leave trains. The Zeta Perseids - This daylight shower occurs during May 20 to July 5. Maximum occurs on June 13. Radar surveys have revealed the activity of this shower to be near 40 per hour. The June Boötids - This shower is currently active during June 27 to July 5 and possesses a maximum of activity that falls on the 28th... The shower is notable in that its meteors are primarily faint, with an average magnitude near 5; however, bright meteors do occur regularly. Meteor Shower Radiant Report For more information about Meteor Showers, visit Gary Kronk's Meteor Showers Online web page. Meteor Scatter (or Meteor burst communications) - "is a radio propagation mode that exploits the ionized trails of meteors during atmospheric entry to establish brief communications paths between radio stations up to 2,250 kilometres (1,400 mi) apart." Tune your shortwave or your HF amateur radio to 54.310 MHz SSB and see if you can hear any pings. Try other frequencies as well... 6m FT8 digital - 50.313 Mhz & 50.276 Mhz, JP-65 digital mode and the carrier frequencies of the lower VHF bands for TV channels 2, 3 & 4. Meteor Rx How-To by Terry Bullett (WØASP)
	Comets Comet 237P/LINEAR is passing through the constellation of Aquila this month. Shining at 11th-12th magnitude, the comet will be very difficult to spot. A 10-inch scope or larger and dark skies would be better to spot this dim fuzz ball. Comet C2021 T4 (Lemmon) shines at 9th magnitude for observers south of the equator before sunrise. For information, orbital elements and ephemerides on observable comets, visit the Observable Comets page from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. For more information about Comets, visit Gary Kronk's Cometography.com webpage.
	Eclipses Solar Eclipses No solar eclipse activity this month. Lunar Eclipses No lunar eclipse activity this month.
	Observational Opportunities Look for Venus and Mars in the evening. Look for Pluto, Saturn, Neptune and Jupiter in the morning. For amateur radio operators, try meteor scatter communications.
	Asteroids (From west to east) Juno is in conjunction with the Sun on the 20th. Pallas is in the constellation of Leo. Parthenope is at opposition on the 6th in the constellation of Ophiuchus. Eunomia is in the constellation of Sagittarius. Information about the Minor Planets can be found at the Minor Planet Observer website.
	Ocultations Information on various occultations can be found by clicking the IOTA logo.

Return to Top

Subscriber Gallery

I have created a web page containing images taken and submitted by subscribers to the email newsletter, check-ins to the Colorado Astronomy Net and readers of the online newsletter. Any one wishing to submit their own images to the gallery, please let me know. The images must be taken by the submitter and be astronomy related. Please include a description and your information so that I can give proper credit to your work.

Featured Images

The Leo Triplet
April 2023

Image Courtesy of Roy Murray (KI7PKL)
The Leo Triplet, three galaxies (M65, M66 & NGC3628) in the constellation of Leo
Taken by: Dwarf II (2 hour exposure)

Return to Top

Member Meteor Sightings

In this section I will post meteor, fireball, etc sightings that have been published on the American Meteor Society's web site. I want to make this an active section of the web pages and newsletter and would like to publish the links to member sightings. If you have any published sightings, please provide me with the links and I will post them here for all to enjoy.

Event ID Date/Time Location Observer Link

3871-2015 2015-11-13 01:55 MST CO Charles N 3871a

3587-2015 2015-11-22 17:38 MST CO Kevin S 3587aw

3829-2015 2015-12-05 18:06 MST CO Burness A 3829a

986-2020 2020-02-21 22:20 MST CO Lukas S 986

3716-2020 2020-07-24 23:22 MDT CO Lukas S 3716

4774-2021 2021-08-13 21:57 MDT UT Lukas S 4774

7044-2021 2021-10-28 20:37 MDT CO Burness A 249058

6763-2022 2022-10-06 05:56 CDT OK Mike C 6763

Return to Top

Planetary/Lunar Exploration Missions

(Excerpts from recent JPL mission updates)

	JPL Latest News The Latest from Space The Origin of JPL (a Youtube video-1 Hour 29 minutes). JPL Latest News May 23, 2023 NASA Scientists Make First Observation of a Polar Cyclone on Uranus Full Article & Images "Scientists used ground-based telescopes to get unprecedented views, thanks to the giant planet’s position in its long orbit around the Sun. For the first time, NASA scientists have strong evidence of a polar cyclone on Uranus. By examining radio waves emitted from the ice giant, they detected the phenomenon at the planet's north pole. The findings confirm a broad truth about all planets with substantial atmospheres in our solar system: Whether the planets are composed mainly of rock or gas, their atmospheres show signs of a swirling vortex at the poles." Read the latest news and discoveries from JPL's dozens of active space missions exploring Earth, the solar system and worlds beyond. Past, Present, Future and Proposed JPL Missions. For special JPL programs and presentations in your area visit the JPL Solar System Ambassador web site.
	James Webb Space Telescope May 30, 2023 Webb Maps Surprisingly Large Plume Jetting From Saturn's Moon Enceladus Full Article & Images "A water vapor plume from Saturn's moon Enceladus spanning more than 6,000 miles — nearly the distance from Los Angeles, California to Buenos Aires, Argentina — has been detected by researchers using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. Not only is this the first time such a water emission has been seen over such an expansive distance, but Webb is also giving scientists a direct look, for the first time, at how this emission feeds the water supply for the entire system of Saturn and its rings." More information on the James Webb Space Telescope mission is available at The James Webb Space Telescope website. The public can follow the mission on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
	Juno May 15, 2023 NASA's Juno Mission Getting Closer to Jupiter's Moon Io Full Article & Images "The gas giant orbiter has flown over 510 million miles and also documented close encounters with three of Jupiter's four largest moons. NASA's Juno spacecraft will fly past Jupiter's volcanic moon Io on Tuesday, May 16, and then the gas giant itself soon after. The flyby of the Jovian moon will be the closest to date, at an altitude of about 22,060 miles (35,500 kilometers). Now in the third year of its extended mission to investigate the interior of Jupiter, the solar-powered spacecraft will also explore the ring system where some of the gas giant's inner moons reside." Images from NASA's JunoCam. More information on the Juno mission is available at: Juno and Mission Juno. The public can follow the Juno mission on Facebook and Twitter.
	New Horizons March 14, 2023 NASA's New Horizons Team Discusses Discoveries from the Kuiper Belt Full Article & Images "More than 5 billion miles from Earth and 17 years into a mission that included the first close-up exploration of Pluto and the first encounter with a planetary building block in the Kuiper Belt, NASA's New Horizons continues to shed light on the mysterious planets and smaller bodies of the outer solar system." New Horizons gallery Find New Horizons in the iTunes App Store. For more information on the New Horizons mission - the first mission to the ninth planet - visit the New Horizons home page.
	TESS May 30, 2023 Astronomers Discover Planets in NASA Kepler's Final Days of Observations Full Article & Images "A team of astrophysicists and citizen scientists have identified what may be some of the last planets NASA's retired Kepler space telescope observed during its nearly decade-long mission. The trio of exoplanets — worlds beyond our solar system — are all between the size of Earth and Neptune and closely orbit their stars." For more information on the TESS mission, visit the Latest Tess Stories page.
	Past, Present, Future and Proposed JPL Missions Visit JPL's mission pages for current status.

Return to Top

Mars Missions

Be A Martian

Mars website mobile version is here!

MARS WEATHER
Mars Daily Weather Report

Mars on the Go! NASA Be A Martian Mobile App
If you want the latest news as it happens, try out the "Be A Martian" app.
Download on Mobile Devices
Android | iPhone | Windows Phone

JMARS

JMARS is an acronym that stands for Java Mission-planning and Analysis for Remote Sensing. It is a geospatial information system (GIS) developed by ASU's Mars Space Flight Facility to provide mission planning and data-analysis tools to NASA's orbiters, instrument team members, students of all ages, and the general public.

Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
"The Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado Boulder (CU) began in 1948, a decade before NASA. We are the world's only research institute to have sent instruments to all eight planets and Pluto.
LASP combines all aspects of space exploration through our expertise in science, engineering, mission operations, and scientific data analysis. As part of CU, LASP also works to educate and train the next generation of space scientists, engineers and mission operators by integrating undergraduate and graduate students into working teams. Our students take their unique experiences with them into government or industry, or remain in academia to continue the cycle of exploration.
LASP is an affiliate of CU-Boulder AeroSpace Ventures, a collaboration among aerospace-related departments, institutes, centers, government labs, and industry partners."

LASP
May 3, 2023
LASP's Laila Andersson named to prominent National Academies committee
Full Article & Images
"Laila Andersson, a research scientist at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado Boulder, has been named to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's Committee on Solar and Space Physics (CSSP). This prominent committee supports scientific progress in solar and space physics (heliophysics) by providing advice to the federal government on the implementation of decadal survey recommendations."

MAVEN
April 11, 2023
NASA's MAVEN mission team reflects on its approaches to inclusion
Full Article & Images
"In a recent Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences publication, NASA's MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution) mission team reflected on their perspectives and approaches to inclusion. This paper is part of the Frontiers Research Topic "Driving Towards a More Diverse Space Physics Research Community — Perspectives, Initiatives, Strategies, and Actions." "
Visit LASP and MAVEN for more information.

Mars 2020 - Perseverance
May 18, 2023
NASA's Perseverance Rover Captures View of Mars' Belva Crater
Full Article & Images
"The six-wheeled scientist encountered the crater during its latest science campaign in search of rock samples that could be brought to Earth for deeper investigation.
The Mastcam-Z instrument aboard NASA's Perseverance Mars rover recently collected 152 images while looking deep into Belva Crater, a large impact crater within the far larger Jezero Crater. Stitched into a dramatic mosaic, the results are not only eye-catching, but also provide the rover's science team some deep insights into the interior of Jezero."
With Flight 50 in the mission logbook, the helicopter team plans to perform another repositioning flight before exploring the "Fall River Pass" region of Jezero Crater."
Learn more about the Mars 2020 (Perseverance) mission.

Mars Science Laboratory - Curiosity
April 13, 2023
NASA's Curiosity Mars Rover Gets a Major Software Upgrade
Full Article & Images
"The update brings loads of improvements, the most significant being new driving capabilities.
Years in the making, a major software update that has been installed on NASA's Curiosity rover will enable the Mars robot to drive faster and reduce wear and tear on its wheels. Those are just two of about 180 changes implemented during the update, which required the team to put Curiosity's science and imaging operations on hold between April 3 and April 7."
For information about NASA's partnership with Foursquare.
Visit the Mars Science Laboratory page.

Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mission
April 25, 2023
NASA Retires Mineral Mapping Instrument on Mars Orbiter
Full Article & Image
"One of six instruments aboard the agency's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, CRISM produced global maps of minerals on the Red Planet's surface
NASA switched off one of its oldest instruments studying Mars on April 3, a step that's been planned since last year. Riding aboard NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, CRISM, or the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars, revealed minerals such as clays, hematite (otherwise known as iron oxide), and sulfates across the Red Planet's surface for 17 years."
MARS RECONNAISSANCE ORBITER HIRISE IMAGES
All of the HiRISE images are archived here.
More information about the MRO mission is available online.

Mars Odyssey Orbiter
March 15, 2023
Engineers Keep an Eye on Fuel Supply of NASA's Oldest Mars Orbiter
Full Article and Images
"Measuring the fuel supply on Odyssey, a decades-old spacecraft without a fuel gauge, is no easy task.
Since NASA launched the 2001 Mars Odyssey Orbiter to the Red Planet almost 22 years ago, the spacecraft has looped around Mars more than 94,000 times. That's about the equivalent of 1.37 billion miles (2.21 billion kilometers), a distance that has required extremely careful management of the spacecraft's fuel supply. This feat is all the more impressive given that Odyssey has no fuel gauge; engineers have had to rely on math instead."
Daily Mars Odyssey THEMIS Images
Can be found at the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) website.
The Odyssey data are available through a new online access system established by the Planetary Data System.
Visit the Mars Odyssey Mission page.

Journey to Mars - InSight - Revealing the Heart of Mars
April 24, 2023
NASA InSight Study Provides Clearest Look Ever at Martian Core
Full Article and Images
"A pair of quakes in 2021 sent seismic waves deep into the Red Planet's core, giving scientists the best data yet on its size and composition.
While NASA retired its InSight Mars lander in December, the trove of data from its seismometer will be pored over for decades to come. By looking at seismic waves the instrument detected from a pair of temblors in 2021, scientists have been able to deduce that Mars' liquid iron core is smaller and denser than previously thought."
Interactive selection of raw images taken by the cameras aboard InSight.
Learn more about the InSight Mission.

Mars Missions Status
New Mars missions are being planned to include several new rover and sample collection missions. Check out the Mars Missions web page and the Mars Exploration page.

Return to Top

Astronomy Links and Other Space News

(If you have a link you would like to recommend to our readers, please feel free to submit it.)

Colorado Astronomy Links

Brighton Astronomy Group - Astronomy in Brighton, Colorado (under construction).

Cloudbait Observatory, Guffey Colorado - Submit your fireball reports here. Interesting, knowledgeable site.

Colorado Springs Astronomical Society - The Colorado Springs Astronomical Society (CSAS) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the enjoyment of the nighttime sky.

Denver Astronomical Society - The Deep Space Exploration Society is a Colorado based nonprofit organization dedicated to practical astronomy and space science education for students, the general public, and society members.

Deep Space Exploration Society - Promotes the enjoyment and understanding of astronomical phenomena, history and lore by providing educational and observing opportunities for our members, general public, and outreach activities at the University of Denver's historic Chamberlin Observatory, schools, and nature centers.

Little Thompson Observatory - Begin or sustain your interest in astronomy at LTO! The night sky is wondrous, filled with countless swirling galaxies, the planets, the moon and so much more. Many of these sights are easily visible from Earth, but few people have witnessed them personally.

The Little Thompson Observatory can change that for you. Our mission is to help people of all ages learn about the universe by offering a first-hand experience with astronomy...

National Space Science & Technology Institute - NSSTI runs the Star Light—Star Bright Observatory in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Northern Colorado Astronomical Society - The Northern Colorado Astronomical Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the science of astronomy and to encourage and coordinate activities of amateur astronomers.

Rocky Mountain Star Stare - The Premier Star Party in The Rocky Mountains

SkyWatchers - Coal Creek Canyon Sky Watchers - Coal Creek Canyon Sky Watchers is an astronomy and space exploration group that features expert presenters on topics such as the exploration of the Moon, Mars and other planets, international space exploration missions, as well as other astronomy topics. We established Sky Watchers in 2014 and usually have about 35 attendees at our meetings.

Southern Colorado Astronomical Society - The Southern Colorado Astronomical Society, CSU-P and the Pueblo Nature and Raptor Center welcomes everyone to participate in the discovery of our night sky.

Star Cruiser Bill's Astrophotography - Great astrophotography from Aurora Colorado.

Star Light-Star Bright Observatory - The observatory is part of the nonprofit National Space Science & Technology Institute's education and public outreach program.
The goal of the Star Light—Star Bright Observatory, is to put the universe within reach of primary grade students and their teachers; along with being an educational asset for the community. The observatory is an educational project that was established in 2004 to serve young and old alike and provides the only free access to viewing the universe in the Pikes Peak Region.

Radio Astronomy Links

AMSAT - The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, or AMSAT, is a worldwide group of Amateur Radio Operators (Hams)... AMSAT's goal is to foster Amateur Radio's participation in space research and communication.

HighQ Software Group - Blog of Ralph Boyd, Software engineer, amateur radio operator, radio astronomer.

National Radio Astronomy Observatory - NRAO - Radio Astronomy news and information.

Radio JOVE Project - Radio JOVE students and amateur scientists observe and analyze natural radio emissions of Jupiter, the Sun, and our galaxy.

Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers - The Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers (SARA) is an international society of dedicated enthusiasts who teach, learn, trade technical information, and do their own observations of the radio sky.

Astronomical Lexicon

Definitions of astronomical terms. Many of the astronomical terms used in this newsletter are defined here.

Return to Top

Read the Universe Today Newsletter by clicking on the logo.

Return to Top

Acknowledgments and References

Much of the information in this newsletter is from Astronomy® Magazine (Kalmbach Publishing), JPL mission status reports, the Internet, "Meteor Showers - A descriptive Catalog" by Gary W. Kronk, Sky & Telescope web pages, and other astronomical sources that I have stashed on my bookshelves.

The author will accept any suggestions, constructive criticisms, and corrections. Please feel free to send me any new links or articles to share as well. I will try to accommodate any reasonable requests. Please feel free to send questions, comments, criticisms, or donations to the email address listed below. Enjoy!

More Acknowledgements and References

Return to Top

Subscription Information

To subscribe: visit Astronews subscription page.

Email Newsletter archives

Return to Top

Keep looking UP!
73 from KIØAR

Return to Top

Home of KIØAR
created by Burness F. Ansell, III,
Email me
IAAS - COO, Director of Aerospace Technologies
JPL Solar System Ambassador, Colorado
last modified: June 01, 2023

URL:http://www.ki0ar.com/astro.html

Event ID	Date/Time	Location	Observer	Link
3871-2015	2015-11-13 01:55 MST	CO	Charles N	3871a
3587-2015	2015-11-22 17:38 MST	CO	Kevin S	3587aw
3829-2015	2015-12-05 18:06 MST	CO	Burness A	3829a
986-2020	2020-02-21 22:20 MST	CO	Lukas S	986
3716-2020	2020-07-24 23:22 MDT	CO	Lukas S	3716
4774-2021	2021-08-13 21:57 MDT	UT	Lukas S	4774
7044-2021	2021-10-28 20:37 MDT	CO	Burness A	249058
6763-2022	2022-10-06 05:56 CDT	OK	Mike C	6763

	Mars on the Go! NASA Be A Martian Mobile App If you want the latest news as it happens, try out the "Be A Martian" app. Download on Mobile Devices Android \| iPhone \| Windows Phone
	JMARS JMARS is an acronym that stands for Java Mission-planning and Analysis for Remote Sensing. It is a geospatial information system (GIS) developed by ASU's Mars Space Flight Facility to provide mission planning and data-analysis tools to NASA's orbiters, instrument team members, students of all ages, and the general public.
	Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics "The Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado Boulder (CU) began in 1948, a decade before NASA. We are the world's only research institute to have sent instruments to all eight planets and Pluto. LASP combines all aspects of space exploration through our expertise in science, engineering, mission operations, and scientific data analysis. As part of CU, LASP also works to educate and train the next generation of space scientists, engineers and mission operators by integrating undergraduate and graduate students into working teams. Our students take their unique experiences with them into government or industry, or remain in academia to continue the cycle of exploration. LASP is an affiliate of CU-Boulder AeroSpace Ventures, a collaboration among aerospace-related departments, institutes, centers, government labs, and industry partners."
	LASP May 3, 2023 LASP's Laila Andersson named to prominent National Academies committee Full Article & Images "Laila Andersson, a research scientist at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado Boulder, has been named to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's Committee on Solar and Space Physics (CSSP). This prominent committee supports scientific progress in solar and space physics (heliophysics) by providing advice to the federal government on the implementation of decadal survey recommendations."
	MAVEN April 11, 2023 NASA's MAVEN mission team reflects on its approaches to inclusion Full Article & Images "In a recent Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences publication, NASA's MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution) mission team reflected on their perspectives and approaches to inclusion. This paper is part of the Frontiers Research Topic "Driving Towards a More Diverse Space Physics Research Community — Perspectives, Initiatives, Strategies, and Actions." " Visit LASP and MAVEN for more information.
	Mars 2020 - Perseverance May 18, 2023 NASA's Perseverance Rover Captures View of Mars' Belva Crater Full Article & Images "The six-wheeled scientist encountered the crater during its latest science campaign in search of rock samples that could be brought to Earth for deeper investigation. The Mastcam-Z instrument aboard NASA's Perseverance Mars rover recently collected 152 images while looking deep into Belva Crater, a large impact crater within the far larger Jezero Crater. Stitched into a dramatic mosaic, the results are not only eye-catching, but also provide the rover's science team some deep insights into the interior of Jezero." With Flight 50 in the mission logbook, the helicopter team plans to perform another repositioning flight before exploring the "Fall River Pass" region of Jezero Crater." Learn more about the Mars 2020 (Perseverance) mission.
	Mars Science Laboratory - Curiosity April 13, 2023 NASA's Curiosity Mars Rover Gets a Major Software Upgrade Full Article & Images "The update brings loads of improvements, the most significant being new driving capabilities. Years in the making, a major software update that has been installed on NASA's Curiosity rover will enable the Mars robot to drive faster and reduce wear and tear on its wheels. Those are just two of about 180 changes implemented during the update, which required the team to put Curiosity's science and imaging operations on hold between April 3 and April 7." For information about NASA's partnership with Foursquare. Visit the Mars Science Laboratory page.
	Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mission April 25, 2023 NASA Retires Mineral Mapping Instrument on Mars Orbiter Full Article & Image "One of six instruments aboard the agency's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, CRISM produced global maps of minerals on the Red Planet's surface NASA switched off one of its oldest instruments studying Mars on April 3, a step that's been planned since last year. Riding aboard NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, CRISM, or the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars, revealed minerals such as clays, hematite (otherwise known as iron oxide), and sulfates across the Red Planet's surface for 17 years." MARS RECONNAISSANCE ORBITER HIRISE IMAGES All of the HiRISE images are archived here. More information about the MRO mission is available online.
	Mars Odyssey Orbiter March 15, 2023 Engineers Keep an Eye on Fuel Supply of NASA's Oldest Mars Orbiter Full Article and Images "Measuring the fuel supply on Odyssey, a decades-old spacecraft without a fuel gauge, is no easy task. Since NASA launched the 2001 Mars Odyssey Orbiter to the Red Planet almost 22 years ago, the spacecraft has looped around Mars more than 94,000 times. That's about the equivalent of 1.37 billion miles (2.21 billion kilometers), a distance that has required extremely careful management of the spacecraft's fuel supply. This feat is all the more impressive given that Odyssey has no fuel gauge; engineers have had to rely on math instead." Daily Mars Odyssey THEMIS Images Can be found at the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) website. The Odyssey data are available through a new online access system established by the Planetary Data System. Visit the Mars Odyssey Mission page.
	Journey to Mars - InSight - Revealing the Heart of Mars April 24, 2023 NASA InSight Study Provides Clearest Look Ever at Martian Core Full Article and Images "A pair of quakes in 2021 sent seismic waves deep into the Red Planet's core, giving scientists the best data yet on its size and composition. While NASA retired its InSight Mars lander in December, the trove of data from its seismometer will be pored over for decades to come. By looking at seismic waves the instrument detected from a pair of temblors in 2021, scientists have been able to deduce that Mars' liquid iron core is smaller and denser than previously thought." Interactive selection of raw images taken by the cameras aboard InSight. Learn more about the InSight Mission.
	Mars Missions Status New Mars missions are being planned to include several new rover and sample collection missions. Check out the Mars Missions web page and the Mars Exploration page.

Astronomy News for the Month of June 2023

An Open Invitation

The Colorado Astronomy Net and the IAAS are on Facebook. Please be sure to "Like" us! Donate to the IAAS! Thank you for your support!

Excerpts from JPL mission updates are provided as a public service as part of the JPL Solar System Ambassador/NASA Outreach program. For special JPL programs and presentations in your area visit the JPL Solar System Ambassador website. (Click on the logo to link to the JPL SSA homepage.)

The Month At-A-Glance A calendar displaying the daily astronomical events.

Phases

Apogee/Perigee

Moon/Planet Pairs

(All times are local unless otherwise noted.)

Dwarf Planets

(From west to east)

Featured Images

(Excerpts from recent JPL mission updates)

(If you have a link you would like to recommend to our readers, please feel free to submit it.)

Keep looking UP! 73 from KIØAR

The Colorado Astronomy Net and the IAAS are on Facebook.
Please be sure to "Like" us!

Donate to the IAAS!
Thank you for your support!

Excerpts from JPL mission updates are provided as a public service as part
of the JPL Solar System Ambassador/NASA Outreach program.
For special JPL programs and presentations in your area visit the JPL Solar System Ambassador website.
(Click on the logo to link to the JPL SSA homepage.)

The Month At-A-Glance
A calendar displaying the daily astronomical events.

Keep looking UP!
73 from KIØAR