Fone IAAS Monthly Astronomy Newsletter

Astronomy News for the Month of October 2022

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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.

"Mars observing season is heating upas the Red Planet approaches opposition in two months. Now is the time to perfect your observing technique." Alan Dyer, Astronomy Magazine, November 2022, p. 32.

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

The Moon

Phases

First Quarter Moon occurs on the 2nd.
Full Moon occurs on the 9th.
Last Quarter Moon occurs on the 17th.
New Moon occurs on the 25th.

Apogee/Perigee

The Moon is at Perigee (229,488 miles from Earth) on the 4th.
The Moon is at Apogee (251,238 miles from Earth) on the 17th.
The Moon is at Perigee (228,845 miles from Earth) on the 29th.

Moon/Planet Pairs

The Moon passes 4° south of Saturn on the 5th.

The Moon passes 3° south of Neptune on the 7th.

The Moon passes 2° south of Jupiter on the 8th.

The Moon passes 0.8° north of Uranus on the 12th.

The Moon passes 4° north of Mars on the 15th.

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

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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 October "Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn are October's major attractions. They offer stunning views at various times of night. In addition, Uranus and Mercury are occulted by the Moon, though both events are challenging observations. The month wraps up with a partial solar eclipse visible across Europe and the Middle East, while worldwide, the Orionid meteor shower occurs in good conditions." Astronomy Magazine, October 2022, P. 32.
	Mercury Is stationary on the 1st. Mercury is at greatest western elongation (18°) on the 8th. Mercury rises at 5:48 a.m. on the 1st and about 7:06 a.m. by month's end. Look for Mercury low to the east about 30 minutes before sunrise. Mercury is occulted by the Moon on the morning of the 24th for U.S. observers during daylight hours (10 a.m. EDT), making this a very difficult occultation to observe. Mercury is in the constellation of Virgo shining at magnitude -0.9 on the 15th.
	Venus Is in superior conjunction on the 22nd. Venus rises at 6:28 a.m. on the 1st. After conjunction, Venus returns to the evening sky, setting about 6:07 p.m. by month's end. Look for Venus low to the east before sunrise during the first two weeks of the month. Venus moves from the constellation of Virgo into Libra shining at magnitude -3.9 on the 15th.
	Earth N/A.
	Mars Is stationary on the 30th. Mars rises at 10:11 p.m. on the 1st and about 8:25 p.m. by month's end. Look for Mars in the late to early evening as the month progresses. Mars continues to get brighter as opposition approaches in two months. Mars is in the constellation of Taurus shining at magnitude -0.9 on the 15th.
	Jupiter Rises at 6:29 p.m. on the 1st and about 4:19 p.m. by month's end. Look for Jupiter in the southeast soon after sunset, and follow it across the sky as the night progresses. Jupiter is still well positioned for early evening viewing. Jupiter is in the constellation of Pisces shining at magnitude -2.9.
	Saturn Is stationary on the 23rd. Saturn rises at 4:38 p.m. on the 1st and about 2:35 p.m. by month's end. Look for Saturn to the south soon after sunset. Saturn is still near its best viewing and easily accessible in the early evening. Saturn is visible until the early morning. Saturn is in the constellation of Capricornus shining at magnitude 0.5.
	Uranus Rises at 8:19 p.m. on the 1st and about 6:14 p.m. by month's end. Look to the south after sunset once the skies darken to spot Uranus. Uranus is occulted by the Moon on the 11th around 11:52 p.m. MDT. Uranus is also well placed in the sky for easy evening viewing. Uranus is in the constellation of Aries shining at magnitude 5.7.
	Neptune Rises at 6:05 p.m. on the 1st and about 4:01 p.m. by month's end. Neptune is also well placed in the evening sky for relatively easy viewing under dark skies. Look to the south once the skies darken. Neptune is in the constellation of Aquarius shining at magnitude 7.8.
	Dwarf Planets
	Ceres Rises at 3:38 a.m. on the 1st and about 2:40 a.m. by month's end. Look for Ceres to the southeast in the early morning before sunrise. Ceres is in the constellation of Leo shining at magnitude 8.8.
	Pluto Is stationary on the 8th. Pluto sets at 12:53 a.m. on the 1st and about 10:48 p.m. by month's end. Look for Pluto to the southwest once the skies are very dark. Pluto is in the constellation of Sagittarius shining at magnitude 14.4. As always, good luck at spotting Neptune, Ceres and Pluto, a large telescope and dark skies will be needed.

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Astronomical Events

	Meteor Showers Draconids - This shower is associated with periodic comet Giacobini-Zinner. The duration may extend from October 6 to 10, though the point of maximum is very sharply defined within a 4-hour interval on October 9, but the annual maximum hourly rates are not consistent. The radiant rarely produces any recognizable shower except during years especially close to the parent comet's perihelion passage. The meteors are slow and tend to be relatively faint. They are generally yellow. The Orionids - The duration of this meteor shower extends from October 15 to 29, with maximum occurring on (the morning of) October 21. The maximum hourly rate is usually about 20 and the meteors are described as fast. The Southern Taurids - This meteor shower is active from September 10 to November 20. Maximum occurs on the morning of October 10. Maximum hourly rate is 5 meteors per hour. The meteors are described as bright and move more slowly than typical meteors, making them prime subjects for imaging and viewing. 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 C/2017 K2 (PanSTARRS) begins the month in the constellation of Lupus as it continues its southward descent. After the first week, northern hemisphere observers will lose sight of this comet. Those south of the equator will now get to see the comet for about a year as a naked eye object. 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 A partial solar eclipse occurs on the 25th at 6:49 a.m. EDT over parts of Europe, Asia and Africa. Lunar Eclipses No lunar eclipse activity this month.
	Observational Opportunities Follow Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune across the sky almost all night long. Look for Mars in the late evening. Look for Mercury and Venus in the early morning before sunrise.
	Asteroids (From west to east) Juno is in the constellation of Aquarius. Euterpe is in the constellation of Taurus. Pallas is in the constellation of Canis Major. 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.

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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

StarLink Train (G4-3)
STARLINK-3200 and others
December 03, 2021
Courtesy of Burness Ansell
Taken with iPhone X @ 6:43 P.M. MST
Traveling from WSW to W passing close to the bright star Altair in Aquila.

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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

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Planetary/Lunar Exploration Missions

(Excerpts from recent JPL mission updates)

	JPL Latest News The Latest from Space JPL Latest News August 24, 2022 NASA Scientists Help Probe Dark Energy by Testing Gravity Full Article & Images "After 10 months flying in space, NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) -- the world's first planetary defense technology demonstration -- successfully impacted its asteroid target on Monday, the agency's first attempt to move an asteroid in space. Mission control at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland, announced the successful impact at 7:14 p.m. EDT. As a part of NASA's overall planetary defense strategy, DART's impact with the asteroid Dimorphos demonstrates a viable mitigation technique for protecting the planet from an Earth-bound asteroid or comet, if one were discovered." 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 September 21, 2022 New Webb Image Captures Clearest View of Neptune's Rings in Decades Full Article & Images "NASA's James Webb Space Telescope shows off its capabilities closer to home with its first image of Neptune. Not only has Webb captured the clearest view of this distant planet's rings in more than 30 years, but its cameras reveal the ice giant in a whole new light. Most striking in Webb's new image is the crisp view of the planet's rings — some of which have not been detected since NASA's Voyager 2 became the first spacecraft to observe Neptune during its flyby in 1989. In addition to several bright, narrow rings, the Webb image clearly shows Neptune's fainter dust bands. "It has been three decades since we last saw these faint, dusty rings, and this is the first time we've seen them in the infrared," notes Heidi Hammel, a Neptune system expert and interdisciplinary scientist for Webb. Webb's extremely stable and precise image quality permits these very faint rings to be detected so close to Neptune." 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 September 22, 2022 NASA's Juno Will Perform Close Flyby of Jupiter's Icy Moon Europa Full Article & Images "As the spacecraft makes a close approach of the moon, it is expected to provide valuable science — and remarkable imagery — for NASA's upcoming Europa Clipper mission. On Thursday, Sept. 29, at 2:36 a.m. PDT (5:36 a.m. EDT), NASA's Juno spacecraft will come within 222 miles (358 kilometers) of the surface of Jupiter's ice-covered moon, Europa. The solar-powered spacecraft is expected to obtain some of the highest-resolution images ever taken of portions of Europa's surface, as well as collect valuable data on the moon's interior, surface composition, and ionosphere, along with its interaction with Jupiter's magnetosphere." 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 August 23, 2022 The PI's Perspective: Extending Exploration and Making Distant Discoveries Full Article & Images "New Horizons remains healthy from its position deep in the Kuiper Belt, even as it speeds farther and farther from the Earth and Sun by about 300 million miles per year. The spacecraft is about 54 times farther from the Sun than Earth, which is about two billion miles farther out than our first science flyby target, Pluto, and about a billion miles farther out than Arrokoth, the Kuiper Belt object (KBO) New Horizons explored in 2019. As planned, the spacecraft was put into hibernation mode on June 1, and will remain so until March 1, 2023. Hibernation saves fuel, wear and tear on spacecraft electronics; it also saves money, because less mission control and planning effort is needed to operate the spacecraft. But hibernation doesn't mean a pause in science data collection. In fact, our Venetia Burney Student Dust Counter (called SDC) and both the PEPSSI and SWAP charged-particle plasma spectrometers are measuring the distant environment around the clock. This is truly unique and highly valuable data for understanding the space weathering environment of KBOs and Kuiper Belt dwarf planets, and also for understanding how the far reaches of the Sun's heliosphere interface to the interstellar medium, or the environment beyond the Sun's cocoon of space." 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 August 24, 2022 Discovery Alert: Intriguing New ‘Super-Earth' Could Get a Closer Look Full Article & Images "The discovery: Planet TOI-1452 b. Key facts: Using observations from NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), backed up by ground-based telescopes, an international team led by the University of Montreal announced the discovery of a "super-Earth" — a planet that is potentially rocky like ours, but larger — orbiting a red-dwarf star about 100 light-years away. Further investigation could shed light on an intriguing possibility: that the planet might be a "water world." Details: Ocean planets are long imagined but difficult to confirm, and TOI-1452 b is no different. About 70% larger than Earth, and roughly five times as massive, its density could be consistent with having a very deep ocean. But more follow-up will be needed. The planet also might be a huge rock, with little or no atmosphere. It could even be a rocky planet with an atmosphere of hydrogen and helium." 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.

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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 our 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
September 15, 2022
2022 awardees chosen for the Charles A. Barth Scholarship for undergraduate space research
Full Article & Images
"NASA has selected a new science mission that will land a spacecraft on a part of the Moon that's never before been visited: the Gruithuisen Domes. Scientists, mission operators, and data analysts from the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado Boulder will play an important role in this mission, which will be led by researchers at the University of Central Florida (UCF).
The domes, located along the western rim of the Imbrium Basin, the largest impact crater on the Moon's near side, remain a mystery to scientists. Flyover data from previous missions indicate the surface in this region is unlike most other volcanic features on the Moon. Rather than the dark, magnesium- and iron-rich volcanic minerals that once crystallized from molten magma in the Moon's mare, or "seas", the Gruithuisen domes instead appear to be composed of lighter-colored, more silica-rich volcanic minerals."

MAVEN
August 31, 2022
MAVEN and EMM make first observations of patchy proton aurora at Mars
Full Article & Images
"NASA's MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution) mission and the United Arab Emirates' Emirates Mars Mission (EMM) have released joint observations of dynamic proton aurora events at Mars. Remote auroral observations by EMM paired with in-situ plasma observations made by MAVEN open new avenues for understanding the Martian atmosphere. This collaboration was made possible by recent data-sharing between the two missions and highlights the value of multi-point observations in space. A study of these findings appears in the journal Geophysical Research Letters."
Visit LASP and MAVEN for more information.

Mars 2020 - Perseverance
September 15, 2022
NASA's Perseverance Rover Investigates Geologically Rich Mars Terrain
Full Article & Images
"The latest findings provide greater detail on a region of the Red Planet that has a watery past and is yielding promising samples for the NASA-ESA Mars Sample Return campaign.
NASA's Perseverance rover is well into its second science campaign, collecting rock-core samples from features within an area long considered by scientists to be a top prospect for finding signs of ancient microbial life on Mars. The rover has collected four samples from an ancient river delta in the Red Planet's Jezero Crater since July 7, bringing the total count of scientifically compelling rock samples to 12."
Learn more about the Mars 2020 (Perseverance) mission.

Mars Science Laboratory - Curiosity
August 5, 2022
10 Years Since Landing, NASA's Curiosity Mars Rover Still Has Drive
Full Article & Images
"Despite signs of wear, the intrepid spacecraft is about to start an exciting new chapter of its mission as it climbs a Martian mountain.
Ten years ago today, a jetpack lowered NASA's Curiosity rover onto the Red Planet, beginning the SUV-size explorer's pursuit of evidence that, billions of years ago, Mars had the conditions needed to support microscopic life.
Since then, Curiosity has driven nearly 18 miles (29 kilometers) and ascended 2,050 feet (625 meters) as it explores Gale Crater and the foothills of Mount Sharp within it. The rover has analyzed 41 rock and soil samples, relying on a suite of science instruments to learn what they reveal about Earth's rocky sibling. And it's pushed a team of engineers to devise ways to minimize wear and tear and keep the rover rolling: In fact, Curiosity's mission was recently extended for another three years, allowing it to continue among NASA's fleet of important astrobiological missions."
For information about NASA's partnership with Foursquare.
Visit the Mars Science Laboratory page.

Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mission
June 28, 2022
Help NASA Scientists Find Clouds on Mars
Full Article & Image
"By identifying clouds in data collected by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, the public can increase scientists' understanding of the Red Planet's atmosphere.
NASA scientists hope to solve a fundamental mystery about Mars' atmosphere, and you can help. They've organized a project called Cloudspotting on Mars that invites the public to identify Martian clouds using the citizen science platform Zooniverse. The information may help researchers figure out why the planet's atmosphere is just 1% as dense as Earth's even though ample evidence suggests the planet used to have a much thicker atmosphere.
The air pressure is so low that liquid water simply vaporizes from the planet's surface into the atmosphere. But billions of years ago, lakes and rivers covered Mars, suggesting the atmosphere must have been thicker then.
How did Mars lose its atmosphere over time? One theory suggests different mechanisms could be lofting water high into the atmosphere, where solar radiation breaks those water molecules down into hydrogen and oxygen (water is made of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom). Hydrogen is light enough that it could then drift off into space."
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
May 5, 2022
Science at Sunrise: Solving the Mystery of Frost Hiding on Mars
Full Article and Images
"A new study using data from NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter may explain why Martian frost can be invisible to the naked eye and why dust avalanches appear on some slopes.
Scientists were baffled last year when studying images of the Martian surface taken at dawn by NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter. When they looked at the surface using visible light — the kind that the human eye perceives — they could see ghostly, blue-white morning frost illuminated by the rising Sun. But using the orbiter's heat-sensitive camera, the frost appeared more widely, including in areas where none was visible."
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
September 19, 2022
NASA's InSight 'Hears' Its First Meteoroid Impacts on Mars
Full Article and Images
"The Mars lander's seismometer has picked up vibrations from four separate impacts in the past two years.
NASA's InSight lander has detected seismic waves from four space rocks that crashed on Mars in 2020 and 2021. Not only do these represent the first impacts detected by the spacecraft's seismometer since InSight touched down on the Red Planet in 2018, it also marks the first time seismic and acoustic waves from an impact have been detected on Mars."
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.

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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

Sangre Stargazers - We are a group of individuals interested in amateur astronomy most of whom live in the Wet Mountain Valley of Custer County, Colorado, where the Sangre de Cristo Mountains meet the stars on the western horizon.

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 Astronomy Research Posts - Radio Astronomy Research news posts and observations.

Radio Astronomy Supplies - Radio Astronomy Supplies, the International leader in research radio telescopes for universities, observatories and individual.

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.

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Read the Universe Today Newsletter by clicking on the logo.

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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

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Keep looking UP!
73 from KIØAR

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Home of KIØAR
created by Burness F. Ansell, III,
Email me
IAAS - COO, Director of Aerospace Technologies
JPL Solar System Ambassador, Colorado
last modified: October 01, 2022

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

	Mars on the Go! NASA Be A Martian Mobile App If you want the latest news as it happens, try our 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 September 15, 2022 2022 awardees chosen for the Charles A. Barth Scholarship for undergraduate space research Full Article & Images "NASA has selected a new science mission that will land a spacecraft on a part of the Moon that's never before been visited: the Gruithuisen Domes. Scientists, mission operators, and data analysts from the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado Boulder will play an important role in this mission, which will be led by researchers at the University of Central Florida (UCF). The domes, located along the western rim of the Imbrium Basin, the largest impact crater on the Moon's near side, remain a mystery to scientists. Flyover data from previous missions indicate the surface in this region is unlike most other volcanic features on the Moon. Rather than the dark, magnesium- and iron-rich volcanic minerals that once crystallized from molten magma in the Moon's mare, or "seas", the Gruithuisen domes instead appear to be composed of lighter-colored, more silica-rich volcanic minerals."
	MAVEN August 31, 2022 MAVEN and EMM make first observations of patchy proton aurora at Mars Full Article & Images "NASA's MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution) mission and the United Arab Emirates' Emirates Mars Mission (EMM) have released joint observations of dynamic proton aurora events at Mars. Remote auroral observations by EMM paired with in-situ plasma observations made by MAVEN open new avenues for understanding the Martian atmosphere. This collaboration was made possible by recent data-sharing between the two missions and highlights the value of multi-point observations in space. A study of these findings appears in the journal Geophysical Research Letters." Visit LASP and MAVEN for more information.
	Mars 2020 - Perseverance September 15, 2022 NASA's Perseverance Rover Investigates Geologically Rich Mars Terrain Full Article & Images "The latest findings provide greater detail on a region of the Red Planet that has a watery past and is yielding promising samples for the NASA-ESA Mars Sample Return campaign. NASA's Perseverance rover is well into its second science campaign, collecting rock-core samples from features within an area long considered by scientists to be a top prospect for finding signs of ancient microbial life on Mars. The rover has collected four samples from an ancient river delta in the Red Planet's Jezero Crater since July 7, bringing the total count of scientifically compelling rock samples to 12." Learn more about the Mars 2020 (Perseverance) mission.
	Mars Science Laboratory - Curiosity August 5, 2022 10 Years Since Landing, NASA's Curiosity Mars Rover Still Has Drive Full Article & Images "Despite signs of wear, the intrepid spacecraft is about to start an exciting new chapter of its mission as it climbs a Martian mountain. Ten years ago today, a jetpack lowered NASA's Curiosity rover onto the Red Planet, beginning the SUV-size explorer's pursuit of evidence that, billions of years ago, Mars had the conditions needed to support microscopic life. Since then, Curiosity has driven nearly 18 miles (29 kilometers) and ascended 2,050 feet (625 meters) as it explores Gale Crater and the foothills of Mount Sharp within it. The rover has analyzed 41 rock and soil samples, relying on a suite of science instruments to learn what they reveal about Earth's rocky sibling. And it's pushed a team of engineers to devise ways to minimize wear and tear and keep the rover rolling: In fact, Curiosity's mission was recently extended for another three years, allowing it to continue among NASA's fleet of important astrobiological missions." For information about NASA's partnership with Foursquare. Visit the Mars Science Laboratory page.
	Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mission June 28, 2022 Help NASA Scientists Find Clouds on Mars Full Article & Image "By identifying clouds in data collected by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, the public can increase scientists' understanding of the Red Planet's atmosphere. NASA scientists hope to solve a fundamental mystery about Mars' atmosphere, and you can help. They've organized a project called Cloudspotting on Mars that invites the public to identify Martian clouds using the citizen science platform Zooniverse. The information may help researchers figure out why the planet's atmosphere is just 1% as dense as Earth's even though ample evidence suggests the planet used to have a much thicker atmosphere. The air pressure is so low that liquid water simply vaporizes from the planet's surface into the atmosphere. But billions of years ago, lakes and rivers covered Mars, suggesting the atmosphere must have been thicker then. How did Mars lose its atmosphere over time? One theory suggests different mechanisms could be lofting water high into the atmosphere, where solar radiation breaks those water molecules down into hydrogen and oxygen (water is made of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom). Hydrogen is light enough that it could then drift off into space." 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 May 5, 2022 Science at Sunrise: Solving the Mystery of Frost Hiding on Mars Full Article and Images "A new study using data from NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter may explain why Martian frost can be invisible to the naked eye and why dust avalanches appear on some slopes. Scientists were baffled last year when studying images of the Martian surface taken at dawn by NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter. When they looked at the surface using visible light — the kind that the human eye perceives — they could see ghostly, blue-white morning frost illuminated by the rising Sun. But using the orbiter's heat-sensitive camera, the frost appeared more widely, including in areas where none was visible." 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 September 19, 2022 NASA's InSight 'Hears' Its First Meteoroid Impacts on Mars Full Article and Images "The Mars lander's seismometer has picked up vibrations from four separate impacts in the past two years. NASA's InSight lander has detected seismic waves from four space rocks that crashed on Mars in 2020 and 2021. Not only do these represent the first impacts detected by the spacecraft's seismometer since InSight touched down on the Red Planet in 2018, it also marks the first time seismic and acoustic waves from an impact have been detected on Mars." 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 October 2022

An Open Invitation

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

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