How are energetic ions trapped in the Earth's magentosphere? What background stars will be visible during the 2019 total solar eclipse? Astronomer Assistants and new Observatory Assistant

Greetings from Palmia Observatory

Well we are back from the Mars 2020 NASA Workshop and I wanted to report on a neat explanation I found while skimming through the planetary sciences textbook about how ions from the solar wind become trapped in the Earth's magnetic field and build up into these large radiation fields that can be dangerous for spacecraft passing through.

NASA Mars 2020 rover site downselection Workshop; CRISM and ground penetrating radar; Other upcoming astronomy events

Greetings from Palmia Observatory,

Well, this week has been tied up with attending the NASA Mars 2020 rover site down selection workshop.  I was able to spend 2.5 days there and can pass on some of the discussion, but first we should cover some of the upcoming astronomy events.

Some more on Falcon 9 launch; OCA lecture on Dark Matter and QFT; Precision Cosmology?

Greetings from Palmia Observatory

We had a fantastic experience during the recent Falcon 9 launch and re-landing at VAFB, as described in our recent post of October 8, 2018, and this week we can report on some comments we received and on some other ongoing physics and astronomy meetings and events.

Hooray -- Experienced successful SpaceX Falcon 9 launch and touchdown at VAFB; Lessons Learned

Greetings from Palmia Observatory

Well, ever since we tasted the pleasures of a launch experience of the Falcon Heavy in Florida, as described in our posts of February 8, 2018 and a previous attempt at photographing a launch from Vandenberg on February 24, 2018, we decided that it was time to actually travel to Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB) and witness up close the launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 on October 7, 2018.

Tour of Arizona Observatories. — Part III. Hurricane Rosa clouds out observing sessions; Toured U of Arizona Mirror Lab

Greetings from Palmia Observatory

Well, we were not able to do any observing at Mt. Lemmon or at Kitt Peak because of the advance impacts of Tropical Storm Rosa, so as consolation, I arranged a tour of the Mirror Lab at U of Arizona.  If the Kitt Peak observing session would have gone ahead, we would have to immediately travel up there after leaving the mirror lab tour, but because of the cancellation we could tour the lab a little more leisurely.