IWO JIMA PHOTO ESSAY

Hey Space Placers!

Today I had the honor and privilege of seeing Iwo Jima, site of the bloodiest battle in the storied history of the United States Marine Corps.

The view was from cruise ship Maasdam.

It was a view seen by 74,000 Marines who hit the southern black sand beaches and fought 22,000 entrenched Japanese soldiers for over a month February into March 1945. 

26,000 Marines were casualties. 

861 Marines and 1,600 Japanese defenders died PER SQUARE MILE.

Mount Sarabachi mesmerizes……..

  

  

The black sand beaches of death terrorizes………

Sky Guy WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER......

PLUTO IS A PLANET - NASA CHIEF

Hey Space Placers!

Interesting read.

Credit: NBC News

I personally believe Pluto is STILL planet 9 in our solar system.

Only 424 votes changed the definition of what a planet is......that definition is fatally flawed.

Sky Guy Headed to Nagasaki

MARS HELICOPTER ATTACHED TO 2020 ROVER

Hey Space Placers!

Read the following update from NASA on the Mars 'copter.

Mars Helicopter Installed on Rover
NASA JPLCredit: 

Close up of Helicopter
Credit: NASA JPL

Sky Guy in Hiroshima, Japan

JWST TWO HALVES JOINED!

Hey Space Placers!

Sorry I've been off line the past few days but I did not have Internet as I made my way to Japan to board ship.

In a HUGE milestone, the Telescope and Spacecraft halves of the James Webb Space Telescope  (JWST) have been mechanically joined together! This is a MAJOR milestone and accomplishment for the 20 year project.

Joined JWST Halves
Credit: NASA

Preparing to Join the Two Halves
Credit: NASA

Electrical components between the two halves will be assembled next and then tested. JWST will then undergo additional testing to prepare for its 2021 launch.

Sky Guy in the Sea of Japan

LIGHTING ORION'S CANDLES

Hey Space Placers!

Turn up the volume and enjoy these hot fire tests for Orion. One step closer to the Moon and Mars.

https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/orion_las_fact_sheet_8.5x11_4page_11_19_15.pdf








Orion Main Propulsion Test



Sky Guy in VA

UPDATED......INDIA'S CHANDRAYAAN-2 DUE TO ENTER LUNAR ORBIT

Hey Space Placers!

UPDATE:

FROM ISRO:

Chandrayaan-2 update: Lunar Orbit Insertion

Lunar Orbit Insertion (LOI) maneuver was completed successfully today (August 20, 2019). The duration of maneuver was 1738 seconds beginning from 0902 hrs IST. With this, Chandrayaan-2 was successfully inserted into a Lunar orbit. The orbit achieved is 114 km x 18072 km.

Following this, a series of orbit maneuvers will be performed on Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft to enable it to enter its final orbit passing over the lunar poles at a distance of about 100 km from the Moon’s surface.

Subsequently, the lander will separate from the Orbiter and enters into a 100 km X 30 km orbit around the Moon.  Then, it will perform a series of complex braking maneuvers to soft land in the South polar region of the Moon on September 7, 2019.

The health of the spacecraft is being continuously monitored from the Mission Operations Complex (MOX) at ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) in Bengaluru with support from Indian Deep Space Network (IDSN) antennas at Bylalu, near Bengaluru. All the systems of Chandrayaan-2 are healthy.

The next Lunar bound orbit maneuver is scheduled tomorrow (August 21, 2019) between 1230-13:30 hrs IST.

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Here's the latest on India's Chandrayaan-2 mission which should go into lunar orbit TONIGHT, U.S. time.

Follow the mission using this link.

This would be the third active lunar mission at the Moon with China's Chang'e 4 (2019) on the lunar far side and NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) (2009) the other two.

Sky Guy in VA

SOME USEFUL INTERNET LINKS ON THE SKY, MILKY WAY AND ASTRONOMY RESOURCES

Hey Space Placers!

Ever want to know more about the sky, astronomy resources like a club that might be near you, the Milky Way?

Here are some links to help you become better acquainted with the sky:

Milky Way
https://earthsky.org/favorite-star-patterns/teapot-of-sagittarius-points-to-galactic-center?utm_source=EarthSky+News&utm_campaign=c856cd0e29-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_02_02_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c643945d79-c856cd0e29-394691157

https://earthsky.org/clusters-nebulae-galaxies/trifid-nebula-a-summer-milky-way-treasure

https://earthsky.org/clusters-nebulae-galaxies/trifid-nebula-a-summer-milky-way-treasure


NASA Night Sky Network
https://twitter.com/nightskynetwork

https://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov/clubs-and-events.cfm

Be sure to follow these assets on Facebook and/or Twitter fo sky updates.

Sky Guy in VA