GALERIA DE AURORAS

AURORA WATCH: A solar wind stream is buffeting Earth's magnetic field and causing geomagnetic storms around the Arctic Circle. "Stunning!

The auroras took my breath away," says photographer "Tomal" of Tromsø, Norway. He took this picture before daybreak on Oct. 1st:

Aleksander Chernucho, Lake Imandra, Kolyskia peninsula, RussiaSep. 4, 2008

Yuichi Takasaka, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, CanadaSep. 3, 2008

Lance Parrish, Skiland, AlaskaSep. 2-4, 2008

Yuichi Takasaka, Lady Evelyn Falls, near Kakisa, Northwest Territories, CanadaSep. 2, 2008

JULES VERNE ENTERED THE EARTH ATMOSPHERE

Goodbye, Jules Verne. The robotic cargo carrier was deliberately guided into the atmosphere by European mission controllers, bringing an end to a successful 6-month mission.
In April 2008, Jules Verne performed the first-ever automated docking to the International Space Station (ISS), delivering more than 2 tons of supplies without any assistance from human controllers. The spacecraft quickly became a valuable part of the ISS. Several times Jules Verne used its engines to reboost the space station's orbit, once helping to dodge a piece of space junk, while the spacious interior of the cargo ship became an impromptu bedroom and "hygiene center" for the crew. Eventually, Jules Verne was re-filled with trash and on Sept. 29th it was sent back to Earth.
Scientists onboard a NASA DC-8 research plane photographed the reentry. They're studying how spacecraft and meteoroids break apart in Earth's atmosphere--and Jules Verne provided valuable data. Stay tuned for their findings.

DOOMED SPACECRAFT

Jules Verne is about to become a fireball.
On Sept. 29th, with NASA aircraft looking on, the 22-ton European spacecraft will plunge into Earth's atmosphere over the south Pacific Ocean and harmlessly disintegrate.
Jules Verne recently spent five months docked to the space station where it delivered supplies, used its engines help the station avoid a piece of space junk, and served as an impromptu bedroom for the ISS crew.
Mission accomplished, the doomed spacecraft is now making its final orbits around Earth glowing about as brightly as Polaris (the North Star).
US and European observers are favored with flybys this weekend.
If you'd like to see Jules Verne, check the Simple Satellite Tracker for viewing times: http://spaceweather.com/flybys/

ALINEACION DE CUATRO PLANETAS

Miles de personas la alineación de cuatro planetas
Miles de personas se han dado cita en el Planetario de Madrid para observar la alineación de cuatro planetas Mercurio, Venus, Saturno y Marte-, la Luna y una estrella muy brillante llamada Régula
Los aficionados, se han acercado con sus prismáticos a las pasarelas del Planetario para lograr visualizar la alineación de los cuatro planetas en la constelación de Leo
El primer planeta en distinguirse como un punto brillante ha sido Mercurio, mucho más alto se ha divisado Venus, justo encima Saturno y más elevado aún Marte, aunque su visión resultó afectada por las condiciones meteorológicas y contaminación del día
Este fenómeno se produce cuando, por un efecto de perspectiva al mirar desde la Tierra, se puede observar en el cielo dos o más planetas muy próximos entre sí, aunque en realidad estén separados por millones de kilómetros en el espacio
A la hora del crepúsculo, se ha podido contemplar Júpiter y ya entrada la noche, la Luna, justo en fase de cuarto creciente en la constelación de Libra, cuya imagen ha sido proyectada en directo por una gran pantalla

ASTRONAUT

RINGS