From MSNBC

"Eclipses of the sun and moon usually come in pairs. A solar eclipse is almost always accompanied by a lunar eclipse two weeks before or after it, since in two weeks the moon travels halfway around its orbit and is likely to form another almost-straight line with the Earth and sun.

This month will be no exception. Just over two weeks after casting its shadow across the Arctic, Russia, Mongolia and China, the moon will swing around to slide deep through the northern edge of the Earth's own shadow on the night of Aug. 16-17.

This partial lunar eclipse will favor much of Europe, Africa and Asia. The moon will pass through the northern part of the Earth's dark umbral shadow between 3:36 p.m. and 6:44 p.m. EDT (19:36 and 22:44 GMT) on Aug. 16."

Click here for more.

Fly Me to the Moon is hitting the movie screens August 15 - a space adventure of the third kind. That is, it’s in 3D.
 
Fly me to the Moon combines the Apollo 11 mission with a whimsical twist involving three flies who hop aboard the spacecraft for their own giant leap for the insect world.
 
This is a G-rated family film that will take the viewer back to the history-making mission of Apollo 11 and planting the first footprints on another world.
 
Plus, there's a live action/animation cameo by Apollo 11's Buzz Aldrin, a member of the Coalition's Board of Advisors.
 
For a sneak peek at this fascinating new look at the Apollo 11 mission of exploration, go to:
http://www.flymetothemoonthemovie.com

ATTENTION EDUCATORS!  

Here's the link to the Fly Me to the Moon Teacher's Guide for students in grades 2 thru 6:
http://www.flymetothemoonthemovie.com/educatorsandexhibitorsarea/FMTTM_2D_Teacher_Guide.pdf
 
 
                                                 - Posted by Leonard David & Barbara David
 

From MSNBC

"Spend a night stargazing, and chances are that at least one “star” will appear to suddenly shoot across the sky. Shooting stars occur when tiny flecks of dust and debris – shed by comets during their trips through the inner solar system – burn up in Earth's atmosphere, causing a streak of light. When Earth passes through a particularly dense debris trail, we're treated to a meteor shower. The showers are usually named after the area of the sky from which they appear to originate. For example, August’s Perseids seem to emanate from the constellation Perseus."

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From NASA and Spacefellowship.com

"Students take a microphone in hand and start speaking into it.

They’re not making an announcement over their school’s PA system; they’re talking with crew members aboard the International Space Station. For an incredible few moments, students communicate with the space inhabitants, asking questions about what it’s like living and working in space.

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station, or ARISS, is a program supported by a team of volunteer radio operators formed to build and operate radio equipment to facilitate communication between the orbiting outpost and Earth. "

More here.

There is excitement in the air at the Mojave Air and Space Port in California...as hundreds of space enthusiasts witness the debut of the WhiteKnightTwo carrier aircraft that will in the future, lift the SpaceShipTwo rocket high in the sky for its launch to the edge of space.

There are two rollout events today - one was this morning for the media, VIPs and guests and we are now waiting for the second rollout event for more than 100 future Virgin Galactic space tourists who will be paying $200,000 for their out-of-this-world experience of rocketing to at least 110 kilometers (about 68 miles) above Earth and floating free in microgravity for a few minutes - then returns to the planet on a ride that beats the best experience that amusement parks have to offer.

WhiteKnightTwo was designed and built at Burt Rutan's Scaled Composites facility located at the Mojave Airport. Its unique design includes twin fuselages and is made of carbon composite. Its power and propulsion - four Pratt & Whitney PW308 engines which are amongst the most powerful, economic and efficient available.

In addition to carrying the more than 250 space tourists - six at a time with two pilots - who have already signed up and put some serious bucks down on a flight, SpaceShipTwo will also be capable of taking science payloads to the edge of space.

For more information, check out Scaled Composites' website at - scaled.com 

and Virgin Galactic's website at - virgingalactic.com

Here are a few of the visual highlights of the rollout:

Sir Richard Branson and Burt Rutan wave from one of the two cockpits of WhiteKnightTwo as it is unveiled at Mojave Air and Space Port.

Branson and Rutan answer questions from the media.

WhiteKnightTwo outside Burt Rutan's Scaled Composites hangers.

Cloaked in black, SpaceShipTwo which is about 60% completed is hidden from view - and bears a sign saying "COMING SOON...TO A SPACEPORT NEAR YOU...Virgin Galactic."

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The Coalition for Space Exploration was recently asked if astronauts have ever chewed gum in space and the answer is a most emphatic “yes!”

Gum of one flavor or another has been on board every U.S. manned mission going back to Project Gemini in 1964. The space agency’s gum of choice: sugar-free Trident.

According to its manufacturer (now known as Cadbury Adams), the Trident brand was introduced in 1960 as the first national brand of sugar-free chewing gum. Its inclusion on NASA’s two-man spacecraft was part of the company’s national marketing campaign.

A 1964 NASA news release entitled “Gemini Astronauts Will Chew Gum” was a big deal back then. At a time when space food still was served in tubes, the fact that astronauts would have gum to chew helped take some the strangeness out of spaceflight.

Gum chewing astronauts can be spotted from time to time in onboard films or video.

The late Wally Schirra recalled in his book, Schirra’s Space, the story of when Gemini 6 and Gemini 7 conducted the first rendezvous in space, flying so close at times the four astronauts could see each other through their windows.

"There seems to be a lot of traffic up here," Schirra radioed from Gemini 6 after one particularly close maneuver.

"Call a policeman," Gemini 7 commander Frank Borman said.

"I can see your lips moving," Gemini 7 pilot Jim Lovell told Schirra.

"I'm chewing gum," Schirra replied.

Years later, in honor of the 25th anniversary of the first Space Shuttle mission, Trident put out a news release touting its chewy relationship with NASA and reminding everyone that the sugarless gum was still on board for the astronaut’s enjoyment.

“It's only appropriate that Trident has such a wonderful relationship with the Space Shuttle. After all, Trident was the first gum in space!" said Brad Irwin, president of Cadbury Adams USA LLC.

Speaking for Trident, former Shuttle-era astronaut Tom Jones weighed in with his support of the tasty gum.

"In the fast-paced environment of a space mission, you tend to reach for something that delivers great flavor on the go," Jones said. "Whether working on the Shuttle or inside the Space Station, Trident was always there, floating right inside my 'velcroed' pocket."

If you know of a “gum in space” story, let us know and we’ll share it with everyone.

Jim Banke

Live from NASA Ames Research Center at the NASA Lunar Science Conference...

The purpose of the conference - "to explore the full spectrum of lunar science of the Moon, on the Moon, and from the Moon". 

Details about the conference are at - http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/nlsc2008 

The conference is sponsored by the new NASA Lunar Science Institute at NASA Ames and the Lunar and Planetary Institute of the Houston area.

Dr. Everett Gibson, an astrobiologist from NASA Johnson Space Center - and the Moon, during the NASA Lunar Science Conference held at NASA Ames Research Center from July 20-23, 2008.

On Sunday July 20th, NASA Ames held a public day in celebration of the 39th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 Landing on the Moon at their NASA Exploration Visitors Center. There were displays, NASA scientists talking about the lunar soil, and activities for children including making a lunar rocket, building an edible solar system, and a hands-on activity about lunar craters. 

The understanding craters activity involved dropping a metal object into a tray of flour, powdered cocoa and rock-like clumps of flour simulating the Moon's surface. A photographer (in the background) takes a photo at the exact moment of impact that is then shown on the screen (upper center) capturing the flying debris that the impact creates.

This is an demonstation of what one of NASA's future lunar spacecraft called Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) will do when it sends an impactor to the Moon's surface during its mission to study the debris with instruments on its orbiting satellite.

More about the Lunar Science Conference soon...

                                                                                                                     - Barbara David reporting