[escepticos] Predicciones para 2001

["Pastranus" <clavius@...>]

12 months of odysseys for 2001





Jan. 4 ?  In a popular fictional reality, the year ahead would find a human
crew aboard a monstrously huge, artificially intelligent spaceship arriving
at the planet Jupiter to make first contact with an extraterrestrial
intelligence. Sadly, this sort of odyssey is probably still in our much more
distant future. But what the year holds in store for space enthusiasts,
explorers and scientists is as fascinating and grand on its own terms.












        WHO KNOWS what amazing new discoveries will be made ? or historic
steps will be taken ? in the real 2001?

JANUARY
       2001 will still bring major milestones in human space flight, as a
whirlwind schedule of shuttle launches ferries construction material to the
growing International Space Station. As STS-98 kicks off an almost monthly
series of missions from Kennedy Space Center, the facility and the shuttle
fleet will be put to the test like never before. Look for many unexpected
surprises and dramatic moments as America?s human space program shifts into
high gear.
       Jan. 15: Stardust ? Earth flyby.
       Jan. 19 or later: Shuttle mission STS-98 launch.
       Jan. 28: 15th anniversary of Challenger disaster.
       Jan. 31: Mars Global Surveyor ? end of primary mission.

FEBRUARY
 .

        The Russian space station Mir has its 15th birthday this month, but
it also has had its head on the chopping block for years. It?s starting to
look like the reprieves are running out, but will the world?s oldest orbital
outpost finally be brought down this year? Believe it when you hear the
splash.
       Feb. 12: NEAR lands on Eros
       Feb. 19: 15th anniversary of Mir launch.
       Feb. 26-28: Scheduled deorbiting of Mir.

MARCH
       As the seasons change, sharp-eyed backyard astronomers in the north
will be teased by an appearance of the mysterious zodiacal light. Dust in
our solar system scatters sunlight into a faint cone that extends beyond the
orbit of Pluto.
       March 1: Shuttle mission STS-102 launch.
       March 11: Mercury reaches greatest elongation west and begins its
best morning apparition (appearance) for the year, particularly for southern
observers.
       March 12-26: Zodiacal light visible in the west after twilight in the
Northern Hemisphere.
       March 20: Vernal equinox, 8:31 a.m. ET.
       March 28: International Space Station Docking Compartment 1 launch
from Baikonur Cosmodrome.

APRIL
       Astronomy Day and Astronomy Week finish off a month containing a
meteor shower, the 20th anniversary of the first shuttle launch, and another
shuttle mission to the International Space Station for good measure.
       April 1: Daylight Saving Time begins.
       April 7: Scheduled launch of 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter.
       April 12: 40th anniversary of flight of Yuri Gagarin, first man in
space.
       April 12: 20th anniversary of first shuttle launch.
       April 19: STS-100 launch.
       April 22: Lyrids meteor shower.
       April 23-29: Astronomy Week.
       April 28: Astronomy Day.

MAY
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         Almost a century after physicist Albert Einstein formalized his
theory of general relativity, scientists are still struggling to comprehend
all the implications of this great insight.
       May 4: Venus at greatest brilliancy in the morning sky.
       May 4-5: Eta Aquarids meteor shower (moonlight may interfere with
viewing).
       May 11: 85th anniversary of Einstein?s theory of general relativity.
       May 17: STS-104 launch.

JUNE
       The first total solar eclipse of the new millennium graces the
southern half of Africa and the island of Madagascar on the first day of
summer. The moon is actually on an eclipsing spree as it occults the planet
Saturn first ? a visual treat for telescope owners. Also, Mars will be the
closest it has been to Earth in over a decade.
       Uncertain: STS-107 launch.
       June 13: Mars? closest approach to Earth at 42 million miles (67
million kilometers) ? the closest the Red Planet has been since 1988.
       June 19: Saturn is 0.9 degree north of the moon. (Occultation visible
in New Zealand and the southern Pacific Ocean. This begins a series of
planetary occultations by the moon extending through the rest of the year.)
       June 21: Summer solstice at 3:38 a.m. ET marks the beginning of
summer.
       June 21: Total solar eclipse, visible in Africa.
       June 21: STS-105 launch.

JULY
       A month of eclipses as the moon cuts a shadowy swath across the sky.
In history, July also brings major anniversaries for the Mercury program and
the Viking landings on Mars.


 ? Tito's Trip to Space Paid in Full; ISS Mission Possible

 ? Top Space Stories of 2000: International Space Station

 ? Asteroid Landing
Is Drawing Near

 ? Comet-Catcher Trims Course for Earth Flyby





July 5: Partial lunar eclipse visible across Australia.
       July 17: Saturn and Venus both near crescent moon in predawn sky.
Venus is also occulted by the moon, visible from Hawaii, the continental
United States, southern Canada and the Caribbean.
       July 18: Jupiter, just north of moon (occultation visible in northern
Europe, north Russia, the Arctic, Alaska and western Canada).
       July 20: 25th anniversary of Viking 1 Mars landing.
       July 21: 40th anniversary of Mercury 4 (Liberty Bell 7) launch.
       July 26: 30th anniversary of Apollo 15 launch.
       July 28: Southern Delta Aquarid meteor shower peaks.

AUGUST
 .

        More summery spacewatching treats as the moon poses with Jupiter and
Saturn, and the Perseid meteors scatter across the night.
       Aug. 12: Perseid meteor shower.
       Aug. 13: Saturn just north of the moon (occultation visible from
southern and eastern Africa).
       Aug. 15: Jupiter just south of the moon (occultation visible from
eastern China, Japan, southwest Canada, the United States).

SEPTEMBER
       As another seasonal change arrives, you have another chance to catch
the zodiacal light.
       Sept. 10: Saturn just south of moon (occultation visible from Hawaii,
the continental United States, southern Canada and the Caribbean).
       Sept. 16-30: Zodiacal light visible in eastern morning sky before
twilight begins in Northern Hemisphere.
       Sept. 18: Mercury at greatest elongation east, continues its most
favorable apparition of the year ? best from southerly latitudes.
       Sept. 22: Autumnal equinox is at 7:04 p.m. ET.

OCTOBER
       If things go according to plan, this year?s close approach to the
planet Mars will provide a window of opportunity for an express trip to the
Red Planet by a new survey satellite.
       Oct. 2: Harvest Moon.
       Oct. 7: Saturn just south of moon (occultation visible from southwest
Asia, India, central Russia, northwest China, northern Japan, Alaska and
western Canada)
       Oct. 15-29: Zodiacal light visible in morning sky before twilight
begins in Northern Hemisphere.
       Oct. 20: 2001 Mars Odyssey ? Mars orbit insertion.
       Oct. 21: Orionid meteor shower.
       Oct. 23: Mars just north of the moon (occultation visible from
central South America and central Africa).
       Oct. 31: Hunter?s Moon

NOVEMBER


        If you?ve never seen a real meteor shower, 2001 might be the best
time to start. November gives you two chances ? first with the Taurids and
then with the Leonids. But if you can only see one meteor shower, make it
the Leonids. They are expected to be particularly rich in number this year ?
a really spectacular show.
       Uncertain: Inaugural launch of the Delta 4.
       Nov. 3: Saturn just south of the moon (occultation visible from
Europe, northwest Africa, Russia and Japan).
       Nov. 3: Taurids meteor shower.
       Nov. 18: Leonid meteors (note: very high rates are predicted for this
year; double peaks).
       Nov. 30: Saturn 0.5 degree south of the moon (occultation visible
from Central America, United States, eastern Canada, Europe and western
Russia).

DECEMBER
       Here comes Saturn?s closest approach to Earth for the year, jauntily
tilting its rings for viewing in new telescopes.
       Dec. 3: Saturn at opposition.
       Dec. 13: Geminid meteor shower peaks.
       Dec. 14: Annular solar eclipse visible from southern Pacific Ocean
and near sunset in Nicaragua and El Salvador.
       Dec. 21: Winter solstice, 2:21 p.m. ET.
       Dec. 28: Saturn just south of the moon (occultation visible from
Hawaii, southern Canada, the continental United States and Central America).
       Dec. 30: Penumbral lunar eclipse.


Claudio Pastrana
Al Alcance de la Razón TM
http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Hall/9140/
http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/anticreacionistas/
http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/alalcancedelarazon/

"Lo mas incomprensible del universo es que sea precisamente comprensible"
A. Einstein


P.D:  A esto he llegado... copie y pegue...copie y pegue...copie y
pegue...copie y pegue...
:-(

un abrazo escéptico a todos y saludos apura2...  ;-)