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<tt>apologies - it's NEXT friday 9th October!<br>
kg<br>
<br>
</tt><br>
Kevin Govender wrote:
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p>Hi all</o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p>In a few hours there
will
be a historic event taking place on the moon! (Note that South African
Time is UTC+2 hours)<br>
See below...<br>
<br>
</o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"
lang="EN-ZA">On
Friday the 9th October at 1130-UTC, the LCROSS lunar main
spacecraft will "hit" the moon's surface near it's
south-pole with a "projectile" to analyze the moon's
crust composition by flying through the generated impact
plume! After the analyzed data is send back to earth,
the spacecraft will hit the moon as a second impact.</span><span
lang="EN-ZA"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-ZA"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"
lang="EN-ZA">The
following link will connect you to the three WEBB-broadcasted SLOOH
telescopes
(In Canary-islands, Australia and Chili) to watch the impact.
Also visit this URL to learn about the SLOOH project, which normally
costs $6 per month to use, but will be free for viewing this specific
impact:</span><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"
lang="EN-ZA"><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.slooh.com/LCROSS/nasa_moon_event/lunar_crater_observation_sensing_satellite.php?gclid=CNXf-tXamZ0CFQGZ2Aod63mE2A">http://www.slooh.com/LCROSS/nasa_moon_event/lunar_crater_observation_sensing_satellite.php?gclid=CNXf-tXamZ0CFQGZ2Aod63mE2A</a></span><span
lang="EN-ZA"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-ZA"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-ZA"><br>
Extract from the website:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-ZA"><br>
SLOOH Space Camera is happy to announce we will be providing free LIVE
Telescope Feeds of NASA's LCROSS Lunar Impacts on October 9, 2009<br>
<br>
Earth’s closest neighbor is holding a secret. In 1999, hints of that
secret were revealed in the form of concentrated hydrogen signatures
detected in permanently shadowed craters at the lunar poles by NASA’s
Lunar Prospector. These readings may be an indication of lunar water
and could have far-reaching implications as humans expand exploration
past low-Earth orbit. The Lunar CRater Observing and Sensing Satellite
(LCROSS) mission is seeking a definitive answer.<br>
<br>
In April 2006, NASA selected the LCROSS proposal for a low-cost,
fast-track companion mission to the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO).
The main LCROSS mission objective is to confirm the presence or absence
of water ice in a permanently shadowed crater near a lunar polar region.<br>
<br>
Image Courtesy of NASA<br>
LCROSS conists of a shepherding spacecraft and the Centaur upper stage
of the Atlas 5 launch rocket. The shepherding spacecraft will allow
NASA's scientists to precisely aim the Centaur spacecraft at an area of
the Moon expected to contain water. On final approach, the shepherding
spacecraft and Centaur will separate. The Centaur will act as a heavy
impactor to create a debris plume that will rise above the lunar
surface. Projected impact at the lunar South Pole is currently: Oct 9,
2009 at 1130 UTC (0730 Eastern, 0430 Pacific). Following four minutes
behind, the shepherding spacecraft will fly through the debris plume,
collecting and relaying data back to Earth before impacting the lunar
surface and creating a second debris plume.<br>
<br>
The debris plumes are expected to be visible from Earth and space-based
telescopes 10-to-12 inches and larger. SLOOH will be showing free live
feeds (weather permitting) from two locations, New Hampshire and
Arizona.<br>
<br>
The LCROSS science payload consists of two near-infrared spectrometers,
a visible light spectrometer, two mid-infrared cameras, two
near-infrared cameras, a visible camera and a visible radiometer. The
LCROSS instruments were selected to provide mission scientists with
multiple complimentary views of the debris plume created by the Centaur
impact.<br>
<br>
As the ejecta rises above the target crater’s rim and is exposed to
sunlight, any water-ice, hydrocarbons or organics will vaporize and
break down into their basic components. These components primarily will
be monitored by the visible and infrared spectrometers. The
near-infrared and mid-infrared cameras will determine the total amount
and distribution of water in the debris plume. The spacecraft’s visible
camera will track the impact location and the behavior of the debris
plume while the visible radiometer will measure the flash created by
the Centaur impact.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
Kevin Govender
Manager: SALT Collateral Benefits Programme / SA Chair for IYA2009
South African Astronomical Observatory, a facility of the NRF
Office: +27 21 460 9350
Mobile: +27 82 487 8466
Fax: +27 21 447 3639
Email: <a moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
href="mailto:kg@saao.ac.za">kg@saao.ac.za</a> / Skype: kevindran / Twitter: govender
Websites: <a moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
href="http://www.saao.ac.za">www.saao.ac.za</a> / <a
moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
href="http://www.salt.ac.za">www.salt.ac.za</a> / <a
moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
href="http://www.astronomy2009.org.za">www.astronomy2009.org.za</a> / <a
moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
href="http://www.developingastronomy.org">www.developingastronomy.org</a>
Postal: P.O. Box 9, Observatory, Cape Town, 7935, South Africa
Street: SAAO, Observatory Road, Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa</pre>
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</blockquote>
<br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
Kevin Govender
Chair: Developing Astronomy Globally Cornerstone
Manager: SALT Collateral Benefits Programme / SA Chair for IYA2009
South African Astronomical Observatory, a facility of the NRF
Office: +27 21 460 9350
Mobile: +27 82 487 8466
Fax: +27 21 447 3639
Email: <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:kg@saao.ac.za">kg@saao.ac.za</a> / Skype: kevindran / Twitter: govender
Websites: <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.saao.ac.za">www.saao.ac.za</a> / <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.salt.ac.za">www.salt.ac.za</a> / <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.astronomy2009.org.za">www.astronomy2009.org.za</a> / <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.developingastronomy.org">www.developingastronomy.org</a>
Postal: P.O. Box 9, Observatory, Cape Town, 7935, South Africa
Street: SAAO, Observatory Road, Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa</pre>
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