SpaceChampion

I'm probably going to freeze my ass off camping overnight.

But if it is clear skies, there's two more things possibly to see during the eclipse. 

The "Devil Comet" 12P/Pons-Brooks - a "horned" comet:  https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/21/world/devil-comet-pons-brooks-eclipse-scn/index.html -- apparently it kind of looks like the Millennium Falcon.  It makes it's closest approach to the Sun in April, and closest approach to Earth in June.

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“The comet will brighten a bit as it gets closer to the sun, and it should be visible to the naked eye low in the west about an hour after sunset,” according to a joint email from Chodas and Farnocchia. “You should go to a location away from city lights and with an unobstructed view of the western horizon. It would be advisable to use a pair of binoculars, since the comet may be hard to locate without them.”

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After April 2, the comet is on track to move into the daytime sky and won’t be visible to sky-gazers at night — but it will be visible when the moon’s shadow temporarily blocks the sun’s face from view on April 8.

“The comet would be located about 25 degrees away from the eclipsed sun,” Chodas and Farnocchia said via email. “The comet should be fairly easy to find during the total solar eclipse, as well as a number of planets, but the main focus during those 4 minutes should be on the eclipse itself!”

Also, the eclipse itself might be extra dramatic because we're at the peak in the solar cycle, and we could see some intense solar flares. 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2024/01/26/total-eclipse-solar-maximum-aurora/

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In fact, the active sun will look very spiky, like a “very irritated little hedgehog,” solar physicist Scott McIntosh said.

Vernor Vinge has passed away, according to David Brin.

Was hoping Harold and The Purple Crayon was a Harold and Kumar spin-off, tbh.

Took me a moment to remember that's not the same Steven Knight that did Spartacus and Netflix Daredevil.

The RVC are fanatical fascists apparently, wanting to depose Putin to create a smaller Russia as a white ethnostate.  I can't cheer them on.

17 minutes ago, Ser Scot A Ellison said:

Seeing the plasma sheath developing around the vehicle was pretty awesome.  Any word on how the Superheavy booster did landing in the gulf?

Sounds like there was a problem relighting all the landing engines.  13 were supposed to be on and apparently only two were.  Also green was seen in the flames, meaning it was "engine-rich" euphemism for burning steel.

Perfect launch -- all 33 enginees lit.  Perfect hot stage separation.  Tested the "pez dispenser" payload bay doors.  Tested the fuel transfer maneuver successfully. 

Maneuvering thrusters seemed to have issues, ship was tumbling oddly before they started using the flaps in the deorbit.  Yes, that was a beautiful plasma sheath.

Just heard ship lost in the landing.  So likely issues with relighting the engines with that too.

Amazing test launch -- happy Pi day!

Starship IFT-3 attempt launch today, propellants loading, countdown aiming for about 8:25 CT / 1:25 UTC.

Everyday Astronaut's livestream

NASASpaceFlight's stream:

Ellie In Space's stream from the top of one of SpaceX"s high bays.

https://collider.com/star-trek-starfleet-academy-filming-window-episode-count/

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy probably debuting next year, 10 episodes.  Tawny Newsome of Lower Decks is in the writing room, and Kurtzman said some of the flavour of that show has migrated into it.

On 3/11/2024 at 6:11 PM, LongRider said:

Here is an article about Trump's takeover of the RNC.

Donald Trump’s newly installed leadership team at the Republican National Committee on Monday began the process of pushing out dozens of officials, according to two people close to the Trump campaign and the RNC.

All told, the expectation is that more than 60 RNC staffers who work across the political, communications and data departments will be let go. Those being asked to resign include five members of the senior staff, though the names were not made public. Additionally, some vendor contracts are expected to be cut......Trump’s campaign took over operational control of the RNC on Monday. On Friday, former North Carolina GOP Chair Michael Whatley was elected the RNC’s new chair, and Trump daughter-in-law Lara Trump was elected as co-chair. Both had Trump’s endorsement. Additionally, Trump senior campaign adviser Chris LaCivita was named as the RNC’s new chief of staff.

Bloodbath at RNC: Trump team slashes staff at committee - POLITICO

This reminds me how the Trump admin conducted meetings in the dark because know one knew how to turn the lights on.  Who will be left who actually knows how to run the mechanics of the election campaign?  Hopefully no one.

Quick review of the IFT-3 mission's changes in flight path, upgrades to the rocket and launch pad, etc.

FAA lists flight dates for next Starship launch, so I assume that launch license is imminent.

Guaranteed best view would be in an hot air balloon above the clouds.  

Finally sorted my plans.  Camping the night before to avoid the traffic, and if it's cloudy will just enjoy the trails and campfires.

Tentative date March 14th (7:30am ET) for the 3rd Starship flight, mission IFT-3.   This one has it's trajectory changed to splashdown in the Indian Ocean, I assume to loop at least once around the Earth and give the flight team more time to do tests in orbit.

Crew 8 launch on Dragon to ISS
 

Another important dimension is the degrading ability to transport cargo around Russia.

https://www.kyivpost.com/post/27740

Not enough locomotives, lack of ability to get parts and materials (special lubricants, bearings, etc.), lack of personnel for maintenance and repair as they've deployed to Ukraine, etc.

It looks like it's slowed the economy down but it isn't in a "Russia is collapsing as a nation" degree.  Potential coups in my mind is just replacing one asshole with another.  But lack of ability to maintain the engines of the economy would the canary in the coal mine making possible for distant oblasts to actually break away.  Maybe in 20 years after the effects of this war and Russians is in the midst of a worsening population crisis.

Dude probably has walked right through Mar-a-lago several times.

Curb Your Enthusiasm, they're going to end it with

I saw one comment on a youtube video suggest that some of the events regarding Chani from the book might be moved to Dune Part 3 / Dune Messiah, and I think that's probably correct.

5 hours ago, DireWolfSpirit said:

I wonder how viewing will be from the West shore of Lake Michigans Green Bay?

7 hours ago, Liffguard said:

My girlfriend and I are flying into Austin for this one. Really hoping for clear skies, it's a long way to go to end up staring at clouds!

I haven an open invitation to my friend's place in Austin to watch it, but obviously Niagara is a lot closer.  That's about as far as I'm willing to travel, yet I waited 50 years for this.  lol

22 minutes ago, Old Zog said:

There are many total solar eclipses between now and 2099. (And there have been many in the last 50 years, too.)

Not passing  in southern Ontario.

It was a joke, people