04.03.10: A Close Flyby of Phobos.

Phobos on a pass of Mars Express last July. (Credit: ESA/DLR/FU Berlin/G. Neukum).

  
 The European Space Agencies’ (ESA) Mars Express orbiter completed the closest ever flyby of the misshapen Martian moon, Phobos, but don’t expect to see any mind blowing pictures…yet. Part of a series of 12 flybys, last nights’ pass skimmed to worldlet by 67 [...]

Astro-Challenge: Can You Spot the Moons of Mars?

This weeks’ challenge is a toughie and not for the faint of eye sight. In 1877, American astronomer Asaph Hall discovered the Martian Moons using the newly installed 26” refracting telescope at the U.S. Naval Observatory. Named appropriately Phobos (fear) and Deimos (terror), the moons were well suited companions for Mars, the god of war. [...]

29.01.10: A Failed Vision: Where does the U.S. Space Program go from here?

By now, everyone in the astro-blogosphere has heard the bad news concerning the Constellation program. No Ares. No Mars. No permanent presence on the Moon. This week’s announcement of Congress failing to provide funding for the future manned space program comes as a tremendous blow to all who work in and follow the space industry. [...]

Astro Event: The Closest Full Moon of the Year.

(Editor’s note: Due to a flurry of astronomical events, February’s events of the week will be released on an accelerated schedule; hang on!)
Amid the opposition of Mars, two launches out of the KSC and the Cape next week, and an exceptionally fine elongation of Mercury in the early morning skies, this weekend brings us a [...]

An Ephemeris of the Martian Moons.

This is a quick posting of the best apparitions of the moon of Mars, Deimos and Phobos, as promised in the Mars opposition post. The tables run for a week after opposition, and are accurate to about 10 minutes or so. I hand crafted these in Starry Night after I found a lack of info [...]

Astro-Event: Mars at Opposition.

Contrary to the once-every-August viral emails soon to be clogging your inbox, Mars will not appear as “large as a Full Moon” on this or any other year… but Mars will reach opposition this week on Friday, January 29th. Unfortunately, this apparition isn’t a particularly favorable one; Mars will only reach 14.1” arc seconds in [...]

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