Nighthawk Anniversary

The Nighthawk celebrated its anniversary last Sunday. We met at Books-A-Million for our regular monthly meeting and then adjourned to Point of Rocks Park for a walk on the river trail. The trail has changed over the years -- the original marsh portion of the river trail has been closed and a different walkway through the marsh. with floating sections, has been put in place. It is still a very enjoyable walk. After resting at one of the pavilions for a few minutes, we went to IHOP for supper. A very nice time!

Chinese Astronauts Prepare For Landing

I read this article, Chinese Astronauts Prepare For Landing
By Clara Moskowitz, on Space.com.
China launched a manned mission into orbit last week.
There was the first space walk by Chinese astronauts done.
The crew returned to Earth safely.
And China has a probe orbiting the Moon with is searching for a place for a manned mission to land on the Moon.

Sea Launch Deploys New Galaxy for North America

I am reading this article, Sea Launch Deploys New Galaxy for North America
By Justin Ray, on Space.com.
According to this, the Galaxy 19 communications satellite was launched yesterday.

Damage to LHC

Experts have gone into the 17-mile circular tunnel housing the Large Hadron Collider under the Swiss-French border to examine the damage that halted operations about 36 hours after its September 10 startup. A CERN spokesman said that the problem seems to be a faulty electrical connection between two magnets that stopped superconducting and led to a mechanical failure and let helium out.

The Large Hadron Collider is the largest physics experiment in the history of mankind.

Writer Explains Particle Acceleration — In A Rap

I am reading this article, Writer Explains Particle Acceleration — In A Rap, on NPR's website.
According to this, the LHC will be down for the next few months because of damage to its cooling system.

U.S. Physicists Recall Brush With Supercollider Fame

I am reading this article, U.S. Physicists Recall Brush With Supercollider Fame
by Nell Greenfieldboyce, on NPR's website.
The Large Hadron Collider near Geneva, Switzerland, is up and performing test runs from what I hear on NPR.

Voyager I

In 1977, Voyager I was launched.
Voyager II was launched two weeks later.

Russian Cargo Ship Leaves Space Station

I am reading this article, Russian Cargo Ship Leaves Space Station
By Tariq Malik, on Space.com.
According to this article, the current International Space Station crew members are Russia's Commander Sergei Volkov, Russia's Flight Engineer Oleg Kononenko and NASA's Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff.
The automated space tug Progress 29 undocked from the station after delivering a payload to the space station from its launch site at Central Asian spaceport of Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
The European Space Agency's first Automated Transfer Vehile, Cargo Ship Jules Verne, is scheduled to undock from the space station on Friday.

Spica and the Moon

I saw the cresent Moon last night about 2000.
I did not see Spica.

Moon and Spica

I heard this story, Moon and Spica, on NPR this morning during StarDate's program.