August 10, 2020 - I'm Your Venus

I’m Your Venus  The Magellan spacecraft singled itself out from the moment it was launched by being the first planetary probe ever deployed from a space shuttle. It was also the first U.S. mission dedicated to studying the surface of Venus using hi-resolution cloud-penetrating synthetic aperture radar (SAR).  Thirty years ago this week, Magellan went into orbit around Venus to begin a four-year mapping mission. This view of Venus, generated by computer from Magellan SAR data and color-coded with emissivity data, shows part of the lowlands to the north of Ovda Regio. The prominent topographic feature is a shield volcano, one of many distinct types of volcanic features on Venus. Lava flows can be seen on the volcano’s right side. Vertical heights are exaggerated one hundred times to enhance detail.

Image credit: NASA / JPL / USGS

Weekly Calendar

August 10 - 16, 2020

Holidays - Sky Events - Space History

 

Monday 10

Uranus 4° north of Moon

1966: Lunar Orbiter I launched
1990: Magellan enters orbit around Venus
2001: STS-105 Discovery launched

Tuesday 11

Last Qtr Moon 12:45 PM ET

1960: Discoverer 13 capsule becomes first object recovered from orbit
1962: Vostok 3 launched

Wednesday 12

Venus greatest elongation (46° W)
Perseid meteor shower

1877: Asaph Hall discovers Deimos, moon of Mars
1919: Margaret Burbidge born
1960: Echo 1 satellite launched on first successful Delta rocket
1962: Vostok 4 launched
1977: HEAO-1 launched
1977: Space shuttle Enterprise’s first glide test
2005: Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter launched
2018: Parker Solar Probe launched

Thursday 13

Perseid meteor shower

Friday 14

Saturday 15

Venus 4° south of Moon
Uranus stationary

Sunday 16

1963: M2-F1 lifting body makes first glide flight after being towed aloft by a C-47