Space Weather News for Feb. 19, 2008
http://spaceweather.com
LUNAR ECLIPSE: On Wednesday night, February 20th, the full Moon
will turn a delightful shade of red and possibly turquoise,
too. It's a total lunar eclipse—the last one until Dec. 2010.
Sky watchers in Europe, the Americas, parts of the Middle East
and Africa are favored for good views of the two-hour event.
Visit http://spaceweather.com for full coverage including maps
and timetables, live webcasts and discussion.
SPY SATELLITE UPDATE: The US Navy's first attempt to hit
malfunctioning spy satellite USA 193 with a missile could
come on Wednesday night during the lunar eclipse. This
is based on an air traffic advisory warning pilots to
steer clear of a patch of Pacific Ocean near Hawaii just
when USA 193 is due to pass overhead. Until the satellite
is shot down, it remains visible to casual sky watchers
during evening passes over US and Canadian towns and
cities; experienced observers say the decaying satellite
is sometimes as bright as the stars of Orion, making it an
easy target for unaided eyes and off-the-shelf digital
cameras. Details, photos and more information are
available at http://spaceweather.com. Subscribers to
Spaceweather PHONE (http://spaceweatherphone.com) will
receive email and telephone alerts when the spy-sat is
about to appear over their backyards.
Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society
