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Category Archives: Astronomy

Astronomy tips: How to photograph the moon, stars, and sky – Los Angeles Times

Posted: April 24, 2020 at 2:57 pm

When life events knock you down, looking to the stars may give you a new perspective. It reminds you how small we are and how easy it is to find a diversion with your old friend, the camera.

It doesnt take a lot of expensive equipment to take good photos of the heavens. Astrophotography can involve equipment as simple as a DSLR (digital single-lens reflex) camera with an ISO (International Organization for Standardization) rating of at least 1600 (the higher the number, the more sensitive to light it is).

Besides the camera, your equipment should include a sturdy tripod and a lens with an aperture (f-stop) opening of f/2.8 or higher.. The lower the f-stop the more light flows into the camera.

The size of the lens is also important. If you want a wide view with lots of foreground and more sky you should choose a 14 mm, 16 mm, 20 mm or 35 mm lens. If you want to take pictures of the moon, you will need a lens in the range of 200 mm to 600 mm.

Now find your location and attach your camera to the tripod. Switch off your automatic settings and find either the bulb or manual setting, which allows you to leave open the shutter for long exposures. The manual setting on most cameras will allow exposures of up to 30 seconds. Adjust your aperture to the maximum opening (the smaller numbers). Also, turn off the autofocus feature.

This 20-second exposure at iso-800 shows the difficulty with residential light pollution.

(Mark Boster/Los Angeles Times)

Your training wheels are gone now that youve turned off the automatic settings, and you can begin to experiment with your cameras manual adjustments. Start by manually focusing your lens to infinity and setting the ISO to 1600.

If your camera allows, adjust your shutter speed for an exposure of 15 to 30 seconds. Remember that Earth is rotating, so stars can appear to be streaking with exposures of 30 seconds.

Adjust your cameras image quality setting to RAW mode, which enables the highest-quality picture. Processing the pictures in RAW mode using Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom or other post-production tools provides better color and contrast control.

There are apps for everything, including astrophotography. Raul Roa, an avid astrophotographer, suggests the Planets app, which gives precise locations and times for viewing Polaris, the Milky Way and other celestial objects. Roa also uses the Sun Surveyor app, which shows where and when the Milky Way will rise, which is useful in planning your trips or locations.

Stan Honda, another former news photographer-turned-astrophotographer, offers his favorite apps: SkySafari, PhotoPills and Stellarium, all of which give you an idea of what you can see right now.

Before heading out to photograph the night sky, check the Weather page in the Times or online for the phases of the moon. Look for when the moon will be full, when it rises and when it sets.

Roa likes chasing the moon, he said, because it is something primordial. I look up and just think of what or who might be out there. Most of us will never get a chance to step off the Earth, so looking up and dreaming is the next best thing for me.

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Astronomers Detected a Black Hole Merger With Very Different Mass Objects – Universe Today

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In another first, scientists at the LIGO and Virgo gravitational wave detectors announced a signal unlike anything theyve ever seen before. While many black hole mergers have been detected thanks to LIGO and Virgos international network for detectors, this particular signal (GW190412) was the first where the two black holes had distinctly different masses.

The event was observed by both LIGO and Virgo on April 12th, 2019, early in the detectors third observation run (O3). According to the study that describes the find, which recently appeared online and the LIGO website, GW190412 took place about 1.9 to 2.9 billion light-years from Earth. It involved the merger of two black holes weighting approximately 8 and 30 Solar masses, respectively.

The event is unique in the history of gravitational wave astronomy since all binaries observed previously by the LIGO and Virgo detectors consisted of two roughly similar masses. Analyses revealthat the merger happened at a distance of 1.9 to 2.9 billion light-years from Earth. The new unequal mass system is a unique discovery since all binaries observed previously by the LIGO and Virgo detectors consisted of two roughly similar masses.

This sharp difference in mass allowed the LIGO/Virgo scientists to verify something predicted by Einsteins General Theory of Relativity, which has so far remained untested. Frank Ohme is the leader of the Independent Max Planck Research Group aka. the Binary Merger Observations and Numerical Relativity at the Albert Einstein Institute (AEI). As he stated in a recent AEI press release:

For the very first time we have heard in GW190412 the unmistakable gravitational-wave hum of a higher harmonic, similar to overtones of musical instruments. In systems with unequal masses like GW190412 our first observation of this type these overtones in the gravitational-wave signal are much louder than in our usual observations. This is why we couldnt hear them before, but in GW190412, we finally can.

These observations once again confirms the theory of General Relativity (GR), which states that massive objects alter the curvature of space time and cause ripples aka. gravitational waves when they merge. The theory also predicts that binary systems where two objects are vastly different in terms of mass will introduce higher harmonics into the waveform.

When the LIGO and Virgo collaborations examined the signal produced by GW190412, they observed this very phenomenon at work for the first time in history. In short, the fundamental frequency of the GWs were two or three times higher than what has been observed with all other events that have been detected so far.

Says Roberto Cotesta, a PhD student in the Astrophysical and Cosmological Relativity division at the AEI in Potsdam:

The black holes at the heart of GW190412 have 8 and 30 times the mass of our Sun, respectively. This is the first binary black-hole system we have observed for which the difference between the masses of the two black holes is so large! This big mass difference means that we can more precisely measure several properties of the system: its distance to us, the angle we look at it, and how fast the heavy black hole spins around its axis.

Another benefit of this latest detection is that it allowed the team to measure the systems astrophysical properties with greater precision. In short, unequal masses imprint themselves on a GW signal, which in turn allows scientists to more precisely measure properties like the mass and spin of the merging objects, as well as the distance to the source and angle of observation.

Essential to this was the accurate models of GWs produced from coalescing black holes, which were provided by researchers from the Albert Einstein Institute. For the first time, these models included both the precession of the black-holes spins and multipole moments beyond the dominant quadrupole which were crucial to measuring their properties and carrying out tests of GR.

The Institutes high-performance Minerva and Hypatia computer clusters at AEI Potsdam and Holodeck at AEI Hannover also played a significant role in the analysis of the signal. According to Alessandra Buonanno, the director of the Astrophysical and Cosmological Relativity division at the AEI, this type of unique signal is something that the two previous observations runs failed to detect. As she said:

During O1 and O2, we have observed the tip of the iceberg of the binary population composed of stellar-mass black holes. Thanks to the improved sensitivity, GW190412 has begun to reveal us a more diverse, submerged population, characterized by mass asymmetry as large as 4 and black holes spinning at about 40% the possible maximum value allowed by general relativity.

Another reason why this kind of observation was not possible before has to do with the recent upgrades made at all the detectors in the LIGO/Virgo international network. This includes a new technique where the quantum-mechanical properties of the lasers used by LIGO and Vigro are squeezed to enhance the sensitivity of the detectors.

This technique was pioneered by researchers at the German-British GEO600 detector in South Hanover, Germany designed and operated by scientists from the Max Planck Institute and multiple European universities. The technique has improved the sensitivity of the GEO600 detector by a factor of two and the AEI is leading the global effort to maximize the effectiveness of the light squeezing technique further.

When the first GW event was detected by scientists at LIGO in February of 2016, it signaled a new age in astronomy. In just over four years, improvements made to individual detectors and international collaborations have ushered in an era where events are being detected every week.

With every new detection, we are learning more about the exotic physics that power our Universe. Be sure to check out this simulation of what the GW190412 merger looked like, courtesy of the Albert Einstein Institute:

Further Reading: Albert Einstein Institute, LSC

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Everything You Need to Know to Take up Stargazing – Thrillist

Posted: at 2:57 pm

This is a piece of the puzzle that gets stacked on top of other points below. Do you need a telescope to start stargazing? Not necessarily. Though you can't see everything with the naked eye. So, it depends on what you're looking for. If you want to view deep-space objects, youre going to need a telescope. If youre looking at planets, youll be able to see a lot of them with the naked eye. Venus, Mars, Saturn, and Jupiter are all easily visible. However, even a pair of binoculars will give you a more impressive view.

However, there are tools available beyond telescopes and binoculars. "The first thing I did when I started is to subscribe to the national magazines," Sreenivasan said. "The two largest ones are Sky and Telescopeand Astronomy." Though, he notes you can read them online as well. They have details about what you can see in the night sky over the coming weeks. (Of course, Thrillist also has details on many space events throughout the year.)

Additionally, there are apps that use augmented reality to show you what's in the sky and help you track down objects you want to see. Some of the most popular apps include Sky View, Sky Safari, Star Walk, and Night Sky. "Also, invest in a star atlas," Sreenivasan said. "There are several out there like Sky & Telescopes Pocket Sky Atlas.Thats one a lot of beginners use, and I still use it myself when I travel. Its just a set of star maps. Its a pretty small book, but its a pretty good book."

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Everything You Need to Know to Take up Stargazing - Thrillist

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This Free Virtual Astronomy Livestream from the Intrepid Is Out of This World! – Time Out New York Kids

Posted: at 2:57 pm

Want to stargaze with astrophysicists and mingle with astronauts? Now's your chance.

The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum is holding its first-ever Virtual Astronomy Live on Friday, April 24 from 23:30pm. Thisevent commemorates 30 years of the Hubble Space Telescope, the first major optical telescope to be launched into space.

Your guides make up (a-hem) a star-studded lineup: Among the attendees are former astronaut and NASA chiefGeneralCharles F. Bolden Jr, former astronaut ProfessorMike Massimino, engineer and former astronaut Nicole Stott, astrophysicistFrank Summers and others.Virtual Astronomy Live will beled by Summer Ash, arocket scientist and astrophysicist, and Summer Ash, andJohn Das Galloway, creator of the Kerbal Space Academy and host for NASASpaceflight.com.

Visit kerbalspaceacademy.comto take a peek.The proswill discussthe wonders of the cosmos, and they will also talk aboutwhat it takes to live in spaceit turns out there are some similarities between workingin isolation on the International Space Station and trying to keep it professional on Zoomwhileparenting at home.

The fact is, there's so much cool stuff online that will engage, entertain and educate your family while you're at home. From taking actual Hogwarts classes, to streaming virtual storytimes, to working out with these fun online fitness classes for kids, you canmake staying in more fun than a barrel of monkeys.

So order food from the bestfamily restaurants in NYCdoing delivery, and make the most of this time in.

-Disney's free drawing classes teach you how to sketch your favorite princesses- Tour the real-life locations of Harry Potter's world with Google Earth- Celebrate the 100th birthday of Denos Wonder Wheel with a free coloring book- New York's kiddie salons share advice on how to cut your child's hair at home- Best family restaurants in NYC doing delivery

Sign up to receive great Time Out New York Kids deals in your inbox each day.

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Beginners’ astronomy: That bright light you can see in the western sky? That’s Venus – Astronomy Now Online

Posted: at 2:57 pm

During the warm evenings and clear skies of recent weeks, you may have noticed a brilliant, shining beacon towards the west, far brighter than anything else in the night sky other than the Moon, and wondered what it was.

That bright Evening Star is actually a planet, Venus, and from the Northern Hemisphere it will be visible in the evening sky all through the rest of April and into May. In fact, it will reach its absolute brightest on 28 April yes, it will get even brighter than it already is, if only slightly!

So, why is it so bright? Is it because, like Mars or Jupiter when they are at their brightest, Venus is at its closest point to Earth? Well, not quite. At its closest, Venus comes within 42 million kilometres of our planet during what we call inferior conjunction, when it lies directly between us and the Sun. However, we cant observe it during inferior conjunction, partly because of the Suns glare hiding it, and also because at inferior conjunction we are looking at Venus night-time hemisphere the dayside is facing the Sun instead, so we would not see the illuminated part of the planet.

Instead, we see Venus at its brightest when its close to a point called maximum elongation. To picture what this is, imagine being able to look down on the Solar System from high above the plane of the orbits of the planets. With this birds eye view, you are able to see the planets traverse their (almost) circular orbits. Now, focus on the orbits of the second and third planets, Venus and Earth, and imagine Venus at inferior conjunction with Earth.

Because Venus is closer to the Sun, its orbit is smaller and it moves around the Sun faster than Earth does (one orbit for Venus takes 225 Earth days, as opposed to our 365 days). So soon enough it reaches a position in its orbit relative to Earth where it appears to the side of the Sun from our point of view. The further to the side of the Sun that Venus moves, the easier it is to see it. Its greatest distance to the side of the Sun is called maximum elongation, and as we can see, Venus is quite a distance from the Sun in the sky. For example, on 28 April, when Venus is about 70 million kilometres from Earth, it sets below the western horizon four hours after the Sun does.

During the time around maximum elongation, we dont see all of Venus illuminated by the Sun, but only a portion of it. Indeed, if you turn a pair of binoculars (at minimum they would need to be 10 x 50 binoculars) or a telescope towards Venus during mid-April, you should see it with a crescent phase, much like the Moon, with only 37 per cent of its visible disc is illuminated by the Sun. By 28 April, as Venus continues on its orbit around the Sun and our viewing angle begins to change, this has reduced to 26 per cent.

Yet despite only a small percentage of the visible part of Venus being illuminated, it can still shine so brightly because its atmosphere is composed of thick clouds of carbon dioxide and sulphuric acid that completely enshroud Venus and which are incredibly reflective. Venus has an albedo of 0.7, which means that it reflects about 70 per cent of the sunlight that falls on it.

So, thats why Venus is shining so brightly at the moment, and it makes for wonderful viewing in the evening sky. In particular, look out for the thin crescent of the Moon near Venus on the evening of 26 April if you have a DSLR camera and a steady tripod, perhaps try shooting some pictures of the two close by?

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Astronomers Might Have Imaged a Second Planet Around Nearby Proxima Centauri – and it Might Have a Huge Set of Rings – Universe Today

Posted: at 2:57 pm

In 2016, astronomers working for the European Southern Observatory (ESO) confirmed the existence of a terrestrial planet around Earths closest stellar neighbor Proxima Centauri. The discovery of this nearby extrasolar planet (Proxima b) caused no shortage of excitement because, in addition to being similar in size to Earth, it was found to orbit within the stars habitable zone (HZ).

Thanks to an INAF-led team, a second exoplanet (a super-Earth) was found early this year around Proxima Centauri using the Radial Velocity Method. Based on the separation between the two planets, another INAF-led team attempted to observe this planet using the Direct Imaging Method. While not entirely successful, their observations raise the possibility that this planet has a system of rings around it, much like Saturn.

For the sake of their study, which recently appeared in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics, the team relied on data obtained by the Spectro-Polarimetric High-contrast Exoplanet REsearch (SPHERE) instrument on the ESOs Very Large Telescope (VLT). This extreme adaptive optics system and coronagraphic facility is dedicated to the characterization of exoplanet systems at optical and near-infrared wavelengths.

For years, SPHERE has been revealing the existence of protoplanetary disks around distant stars, something that is extremely difficult to do using conventional optics. However, this particular set of data was gathered during the four-year SpHere INfrared survey for Exoplanets (SHINE) survey, where SPHERE was used to image 600 nearby stars in the near-infrared spectrum.

Relying on SPHEREs high contrast and high angular resolution, the purpose of this survey was to characterize new planetary systems and explore how they formed. One such system was Proxima Centauri, a low-mass M-type (red dwarf) star located just 4.25 light-years from our Solar System. At the time of the survey, which ran from to , the existence of Proxima c was not yet known.

Like Proxima b, Proxima c was discovered using the Radial Velocity (aka. Doppler Spectroscopy) method. This consists of measuring a stars movement back and forth (or wobble) to determine if it is being acted on by the gravitational influence of a system of planets. However, the team was confident that if Proxima c was producing a large enough signal in infrared, SPHERE would have detected it.

As the team which was led by Raffael Gratton of the Astronomical Observatory of Padova explained their methods in their study:

We searched for a counterpart in SPHERE images acquired during four years through the SHINE survey. In order to account for the expected large orbital motion of the planet, we used a method that assumes the circular orbit obtained from radial velocities and exploits the sequence of observations acquired close to quadrature in the orbit. We checked this with a more general approach that considers keplerian motion, K-stacker.

Unfortunately, the SPHERE data did not reveal any clear detections of Proxima c. What they did find was a candidate signal that had a strong signal to noise ratio and that the orientation of its orbital plane fit well with a previous image taken using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Arrays (ALMA).

However, they also noted that its position and orbital motion (aka. astrometric signal) were not consistent with what was observed by the ESAs Gaia mission. Last, but not least, they found that the candidate had an unexpectedly high apparent brightness (aka. flux) a planet orbiting a red dwarf star. Because of this, the team could not say with any confidence whether or not what they observed was indeed Proxima c.

However, this last item raised another possibility that the team had to consider, that the unusual brightness may be the result of a circumplanetary material. In other words, they theorize that the brightness could be caused by a ring system around Proxima c, which would be radiating additional light in the infrared spectrum and contributing to the total brightness. As they explain:

In this case we envision either a conspicuous ring system, or dust production by collisions within a swarm of satellites, or evaporation of dust boosting the planet luminosity. This would be unusual for extrasolar planets, with Fomalhaut b, for which there is no dynamical mass determination, as the only other possible example.

This makes Proxima c a prime target for follow-up studies using radial velocity measurements, near-infrared imaging, and other methods. In addition, next-generation telescopes like the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT), the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT), and the ESOs Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), will be well-suited to conduct direct imaging surveys of this system to detect Proxima c.

Whats more, if astronomers manage to confirm that the candidate seen here was Proxima c, then Breakthrough Starshot is likely to want to get in on the action! For years, this organization has been working towards the goal of sending a gram-scale wafercraft to the Alpha Centauri system by means of directed-energy propulsion. Ever since the discovery of Proxima b, there has been talk about making a flyby of Proxima Centauri as well.

Not only would this spacecraft be able to get a close-up look of Proxima b, it could also swing by Proxima c and get some snapshots of the planet and its (possible) ring system. Regardless, if the teams findings are confirmed, it will be the first time direct imaging of a planet discovered from radial velocity measurements was made and the second time where reflections from circumplanetary material occurred (after Fomalhaut b).

In any case, these results could have significant implications for future studies and the characterization of Proxima Centauri.

Further Reading: arXiv

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Astronomers Might Have Imaged a Second Planet Around Nearby Proxima Centauri - and it Might Have a Huge Set of Rings - Universe Today

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SpaceX to send astronauts to the International Space Station May 27 – Astronomy Magazine

Posted: at 2:57 pm

SpaceX and NASA will send two astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 27. The launch will mark the United States first crewed launch since the end of the Space Shuttle Program in 2011.

Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley will blast off in the privately built Dragon Crew Capsule, atop one of SpaceXs Falcon 9 rockets. Both Behnken and Hurley have previously spent time on the ISS during the Space Shuttle Program.

Once the Dragon Crew Capsule docks with the ISS, Behnken and Hurley will join the rest of the Expedition 63 crew already orbiting in space. Theyll perform tests on their capsule, as well as conduct research with the rest of the crew. The length of their mission wont be announced until the astronauts reach the ISS and NASA and SpaceX can determine when theyll be ready for the next crewed launch.

The launch and docking the ISS will be the final test for SpaceX and the Commercial Crew Program.

SpaceX and Boeing were both hired by NASA as part of its Commercial Crew Program, which will utilize private aerospace companies to help usher in the next era of space travel. Throughout the past five years, the companies have been racing to keep up with NASAs demands to get astronauts to space without relying on Russian spacecraft.

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The Sky This Week from April 10 to 17 – Astronomy Magazine

Posted: April 11, 2020 at 7:01 pm

Friday, April 10Tonight, try searching out star clusters in Cassiopeia the Queen. This circumpolar constellation is visible all night from much of the U.S. In more southerly states, you can catch the Queen early in the evening as she sets, then again early in the morning before dawn as she rises once more. Seek out the open cluster M103 just 1 east of Delta () Cassiopeiae. This 6'-wide cluster is visible in binoculars; a 4-inch telescope will resolve its brightest stars, while larger apertures reveal more of its scattered components.

From M103, hop a little less than 2 east to NGC 663, another open cluster. This object is much more densely packed than M103, with about 400 stars in a region 0.25 across. Some observers might be able to detect this cluster with the naked eye under excellent conditions, but binoculars or a telescope from any decent observing location should unveil its sparkling beauty.

From NGC 663, backtrack to M103, then swing 3 southwest to reach NGC 457. This uniquely shaped open cluster is called the Owl Cluster or the E.T. Cluster because it resembles an owl with outstretched wings (or the titular alien from Steven Spielbergs 1982 film, with his arms spread wide). Two bright stars are the figures eyes, while the rest of the clusters luminaries spread out to form the body to the northwest.

Saturday, April 11Tomorrow, April 12, marks the 59th anniversary of humanitys first foray into space: the launch of Yuri Gagarin aboard Vostok 1 on April 12, 1961. Today, the anniversary is celebrated worldwide under the title of Yuris Night or the World Space Party. Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, in 2020 the celebration is moving online. You can find more information about the global webcast, which begins tonight (April 11) at 7 P.M. EDT, at https://party.yurisnight.net/globalwebcast.

Now waning after its super appearance last week, an 86-percent-illuminated Moon still makes a great target for both beginner and advanced observers in honor of the space races ultimate goal. Rising in the southeast just after 11 P.M. local time and remaining visible all night, the Moon spends tonight balanced atop the claws of Scorpius the Scorpion. You can find our satellite nearly 7 north of Antares, the scorpions bright red heart.

Sunday, April 12Asteroid 4 Vesta comes within 40' of Epsilon () Tauri tonight. At magnitude 8.4, Vesta is within reach of most binoculars, offering casual observers the chance to spot this main-belt asteroid. Potato-shaped Vesta measures about 300 miles (483 kilometers) across, making it the third-largest object in the main belt.

Scan 4 east of Epsilon to find NGC 1647, an open star cluster containing a few dozen stars between 8th and 11th magnitude. Drop about 3 southeast of Epsilon, and youll spot brilliant Aldebaran, Taurus brightest star. This famous giant is actually a low-level variable star, fluctuating in brightness by about 0.2 magnitude at irregular intervals.

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Earth’s best telescopes have closed, but the hunt for dangerous aster – Astronomy Magazine

Posted: at 7:01 pm

The last known such event happened in Tunguska, Siberia, in 1908. A roughly 120-foot-wide (36.5 m) space rock entered Earths atmosphere at a blistering speed of 33,000 mph (53,100 km/h). The resulting friction heated it to tens of thousands of degrees Fahrenheit. And this, combined with intense pressure, ultimately caused the rock to dramatically explode some 5 miles (8 kilometers) above the ground. The blast, which is estimated to have released as much energy as almost 200 Hiroshima bombs, flattened trees on the ground over an area of roughly 800 square miles (2,100 square kilometers). Some sources suggest that as many as three people died.

Earth got relatively lucky with Tunguska, but that doesnt mean asteroids arent still a major risk to our planet. In 2013, a space rock the size of a house exploded over Chelyabinsk, Russia, injuring more than 1,000 people as a powerful shock wave blew out countless windows, sending out shards of glass and debris. And just last year, one of these city killer asteroids, dubbed 2019 OK, actually passed between Earth and the Moon without astronomers noticing until just before it happened.

The asteroid caught astronomers by surprise because it approached from the direction of the Sun. And, like a baseball player squinting to locate a fly ball on a cloudless day, astronomers struggle to see small, relatively faint objects with our home star in the background.

Earth will get hit with a major asteroid again, its just a question of when.And thats why astronomers think its important to keep a constant watch, even during a pandemic.

Fortunately, theres only a slim chance humanity will have to face two global crises at once. And thats something we can all be happy about right now.

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Interview: Jim Lovell relives the successful failure of Apollo 13 – Astronomy Magazine

Posted: at 7:01 pm

Lovell: Well, it did become more famous in the beginning, at least in the eyes of NASA. I have to tell you an interesting story. We came back. Its a failure. So the spacecraft, the command module, which was the only thing left of Apollo 13, really, was in a warehouse down in Florida for about six months. Then, they tried to forget about it. They wanted to go on to Apollo 14 and everything like that.

Then France called up, Paris called up, [the] museum at Le Bourget, which was where Lindbergh landed. They asked the Smithsonian, Do you have any space artifacts that we could have in this museum? Then the lights came on in the Smithsonian and also NASA, Well, we can get rid of this spacecraft. So they exiled Apollo 13 to Le Bourget, and it stayed there for 20 years.

About 18 years after that, I had a classmate that went out there and he saw it and he wrote me a letter. He said, Do you know where your spacecraft is? I didnt at that time. No one told me it was in Le Bourget.Then, later on, a year or so later, my wife [Marilyn] and I were in Paris and we went out to this museum, which was at the airfield there, and there we saw it. We walked up to it. It was still on the cradle that they had rolled it in on. It was all by itself, just about, nothing else around it. The hatch was missing. The instrument panel was missing. The seats were missing. The only thing I saw was a piece of paper that was stuck on the side that said, Apollo 13, and gave the names of the three crew members. And then Ron Howard made the movie. Of course they made the movie that was shown in France, and all those French people said, Oh, its out there in Le Bourget. Lets go see it.

Meanwhile, NASA was so embarrassed and the Smithsonian, that a museum out of Hutchinson, Kansas, called the Cosmosphere, offered to go get [it] and bring it back and pay for it and they did. And all those Frenchmen now were mad because they had kept it for 20 years, and now it came back here. [Laughs.]

Astronomy: Do you recall what the first thing you and Marilyn talked about once you returned after Apollo 13? What did that conversation go like? Did [she] encourage you to find a different career path maybe?

Lovell: Well, I have to tell you another interesting story along those lines. About a week or two weeks after we got picked up in Hawaii and then we came back, we had a big press conference of course. All the NASA people came in and all the reporters came in, and TV people and stuff like that, and a lot of the families came in to listen to the whole thing. We were in the auditorium down in the Johnson Space Center. So we started talking about that.

At the beginning of the conference, a reporter asked, Jim, are you gonna ask for another flight? Obviously, this was not successful. Before that, on Apollo 11 [and] 12, management said, Look, if theres a problem with this flight, well get you back and well give you the very next one.

So when that question came up from the reporter, I thought to myself, because management was right behind us, here was the perfect opportunity to put them on the wall and say yes, because they had not talked to us, the 13, just 11 and 12. I was about ready to say something like that when, out in the audience, I saw a hand go up. Then I saw it go down like this. [Jim gives a thumbs down gesture.] It was my wife. [Laughs.] I could tell. I said, No. I think this is the last flight Im gonna make. [Laughs.]

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