Johnston's Archive Astronomy and Space

Asteroids with satellites

Predicted 2008 TC3 impact, 7 October 2008

The case for planet Pluto

Planet crisis: what is a planet, a dwarf planet, and the status of Pluto?

Frequently asked questions about Pluto and the definition of a planet

A TEXAN definition of a planet

solar system information:

• Known populations of solar system objects
  • Historical known populations of solar system objects
• Names of solar system objects and features
• Some named solar system objects

• Data on solar system objects:
  • Orbital data
  • Physical data and discovery dates
  • Data for the planets and largest other objects

• Gallery of solar system objects

• List of IAU preliminary designations of natural satellites
• Properties of the planetary satellites of the solar system

• Largest impact features in the solar system
• Observed impact events (over 0.1 kilotons)
• Geysers on other planets and satellites
• Global warming on other planets?

• Map of the Moon

• Map of Mars landing sites
• Quick guide to the Mars opposition of October/November 2005
• Phobos--information.

• Europa--information and links.
• Named features on Europa
• Icosahedron map of Europa

• Investigation of evolution of orbits similar to that of (4179) Toutatis
  • Information on Toutatis and asteroids near the 3:1 resonance with Jupiter
• Asteroid albedos: graphs of data

• The atmospheres of Pluto and other trans-Neptunian objects

• Comparison of the largest TNOs
• A tenth planet
• Trans-Neptunian objects
  • Outer solar system objects: e vs. a and resonances
  • TNO/centaur diameters and albedos
  • Orbits of some large TNOs
• List of trans-Neptunian objects

• Comets: graphs of orbital data

solar system exploration:

• List of deep space probes (summary)
• List of deep space probes (listing)
• Space probe flybys: closest approach data

• List of space physics satellites
• Space physics links--satellites and programs
• List of space physics probes beyond Earth orbit

stellar and extragalactic information:

• List of nearby stars (to 20 light years)

• List of known extrasolar planets and brown dwarfs

• Black holes--part of a discussion of general relativity.
• List of black hole candidates
• Binary pulsar PSR 1913+16
• List of known pulsars in binary systems
• Gamma ray bursts

other material:

• Reading the Pioneer/Voyager pulsar map
• List of gravitational wave detectors
• Text of President George W. Bush's address on the space shuttle Columbia tragedy
• Text of President George W. Bush's address on a new vision for space exploration
• Space art--visualizations.

Of timely interest:

• Sunspots of October-November 2003
• Quick guide to the Mars opposition of October/November 2005
  • Quick guide to the Mars opposition of August 2003 (.pdf version)
• A walk through the solar system (with Carol Lutsinger)--guide for elementary students

A brief commentary on sky watching--a synopsis of things to look for in the night sky and links for more information. Some specific information for observers in parts of Texas is included.

Observing man-made Earth satellites--a discussion of how to look for visible satellites in the night sky.

Heaven's Above predictions for viewing satellites from Brownsville, TX (external link)

Links for sky watchers

• Astronomy--Learn What's Up--includes sky charts.
• Astronomy Today.
• Comets & Meteor Showers.
• Dome of the Sky.
• Heavens Above--provides predictions for viewing man-made satellites from any location you specify.
• NASA Sky Watch.
• SatPasses--provides predictions for viewing man-made satellites.
• Sky at a Glance--selected viewing information from Sky and Telescope.
• Sky Screen Saver--shareware that displays a current sky chart (stars and planets).
• Skywatching Center--nightly viewing tips.
• Spacewatch.
• StarDate Online--web site for the University of Texas' Astronomy Department skywatching updates.
• Visual Satellite Observer's Home Page--provides predictions for viewing man-made satellites.

Astronomy information links

• general:
  • Astronomy Picture of the Day--daily astronomy picture with explanation.
  • Hubble Space Telescope Public Pictures--public releases.
  • International Astronomical Union.
  • NASA Spacelink--NASA resources for teachers and students.
  • Students for the Exploration and Development of Space.

• solar system, general and planetary:
  • Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature--IAU working group.
  • Jet Propulsion Laboratories--home page for NASA's JPL.
  • NSSDC--National Space Science Data Center.
  • Solar System Dynamics--JPL site.
  • Solar System Simulator--JPL site providing simulated views of solar system planets or moons.
  • Space Weather--information on solar activity and meteor showers.
  • Views of the Solar System--images and other solar system information.

• solar system, specific planets:
  • Cassini-Huygens--current NASA mission en route to Saturn and its moon Titan.
  • Galileo--NASA mission winding down, Jupiter orbiter observing Jupiter and its moons.
  • Gateway to Astronaut Photography of the Earth--archive of four decades of astronaut photography of the Earth from space.
  • Mars Exploration Rovers--NASA's Spirit rover on Mars and Opportunity rover en route.
  • Mars Global Surveyor--current NASA mission, Mars orbiter.
  • Mars Odyssey--current NASA mission, Mars orbiter.
  • Soviet Exploration of Venus--history of Soviet unmanned Venus probes.
  • Stardust--current NASA mission en route to Comet Wild-2.
  • Visible Earth--current NASA space-based observations of the Earth.

• solar system, asteroids:
  • AstDys--database on asteroids.
  • Asteroid/Comet Connection--list of news items and links.
  • Cambridge Conference Network--scholarly network on hazards of near-Earth objects and other topics.
  • Deep Space 1--NASA mission to asteroid (9969) Braille and Comet Borrelly.
  • Distant EKOs--newsletter on trans-Neptunian objects.
  • From the desk of Ted Bowell--asteroid research and resources.
  • Minor Planet Center--primary source for asteroid data.
  • Minor Planet Names--Minor Planet Center listing.
  • NEAR Shoemaker--NASA mission now concluded, orbiter of asteroid 433 Eros.
  • NeoDys--database on near-Earth asteroids.
  • Tumbling Stone--Spaceguard's newletter on near-Earth objects.

• solar system, comets:
  • Asteroid/Comet Connection--list of news items and links.
  • Cambridge Conference Network--scholarly network on hazards of near-Earth objects and other topics.
  • The COCD Homepage--Catalogue of Comet Discoveries.
  • The ICQ Comet Information Website--by the International Comet Quarterly.
  • Seiichi Yoshida's Home Page--extensive comet information.
  • SOHO Sungrazer Home Page--observing sungrazing comets from the NASA Solar and Heliospheric Observatory.

• extrasolar planets:
  • The Extrasolar Planets Encyclopaedia--information on planets discovered outside our solar system.

• nearby stars:
  • Internet Stellar Database--information on stars within 75 light years.
  • N Stars Database--information on stars within 25 parsecs.
  • The One Hundred Nearest Star Systems.

• stellar and other:
  • SIMBAD Astronomical Database.
  • VirtualSky.org--electronic atlas of the celestial sky.
  • What Color are the Stars?

Other space links

• Encyclopedia Astronautica--Mark Wade's extensive web site on manned and unmanned space programs.
• Jonathan's Space Home Page--information on space exploration/activities.
• NASA History--space exploration resources.
• Spacecraft Encyclopaedia--database of satellite information.

Banner image: Io and Jupiter, taken by Cassini in 2000 (credit: NASA/JPL/Univ. of Arizona).

Comments? Questions? Corrections? Contact me.

Copyright © 2001-2007, 2008 by Wm. Robert Johnston. All rights reserved.
Last modified 6 October 2008.
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