
SB NEWS @ AMSAT $SPC0325
* SpaceNews 25-Mar-96 *


BID: $SPC0325


			       =========
			       SpaceNews
			       =========


                         MONDAY MARCH 25, 1996


SpaceNews originates at KD2BD in Wall Township, New Jersey, USA.  It is
published every week and is made available for unlimited free distribution.


* GET READY FOR COMET HYAKUTAKE! *
==================================
The TSS tethered satellite deployed by the last Space Shuttle mission
recently decayed into the Earth's atmosphere, but now there is a new
object to look for in the night sky.  For those living in the northen
hemisphere, this week will offer the best conditions for viewing comet
Hyakutake.

Comet Hyakutake was discovered very recently by an amateur astronomer
using binoculars on 30-Jan-96.  Its tail has been estimated at being
7 million miles in length.

Between 24-Mar-96 and 28-Mar-96, the comet will pass through the Big
Dipper, and become circumpolar as it approaches Polaris, the north star.
When this occurs, it will be visible all night, and at its closest approach
on the 25th, its magnitude could reach -2.  Under dark skies, the comet
should be bright enough for viewing with the naked eye, however the extra
light gathering ability afforded by binoculars or a small telescope
could be a valuable asset in viewing the comet.

The comet will slowly move towards the northwestern sky as it moves away
from the earth and towards the sun after the 28th.  Viewing conditions may
become enhanced once again in late April when the comet grows in brightness
due to its close proximity to the sun.

The following are celestial coordinates and AZ/EL information by
Gustavo, LW2DTZ, for observers located at 51 degrees North at 0300 UTC: 

Day  RA    DEC   AZ   EL   LN   MAG
 1  1451  -2241  160  13  113   6.8
 8  1454  -2004  166  17  120   5.7
15  1455  -1336  172  24  129   4.2
17  1455  -0951  173  28  132   3.6
19  1454  -0402  176  34  135   2.9
20  1453   0012  177  38  135   2.5
21  1451   0550  179  44  137   2.2
22  1450   1331  181  52  137   1.7
23  1447   2406  184  62  134   1.3
24  1443   3823  195  75  127   0.9
25  1433   5555  317  83  115   0.0
26  1406   7358  349  66  102   0.7
27  0853   8633  354  50  089   0.7
28  0357   7735  357  39  079   1.1
29  0330   6906  359  30  071   1.3
30  0321   6250  000  24  066   1.5
31  0316   5808  001  19  061   1.8

Additional information on comet Hyakutake, including maps, drawings,
and photographs may be found at:

	http://newproducts.jpl.nasa.gov/comet/hyakutake/tips.html


* COLLOQUIUM FOLLOW-UP *
========================
The 11th AMSAT-UK Colloquium will be held at Surrey University, Guildford,
Surrey, U.K., from Thursday 25th to Sunday 28th July 1996.  Thursday will
be devoted to International/IARU matters and other subjects will be
structured across the following three days.  There will also be the usual
social events including: Command Station visits, the Annual Dinner and
Auction, AMSAT-UK AGM, and other light-hearted fun.

This is the final call from AMSAT-UK to invite authors to submit papers,
about amateur radio space and associated activities, for this event.
Organizers normally prefer authors to present the papers themselves
rather than having someone unacquainted with the authors' work to
read them in the authors' absence.

Abstracts of Papers for presentation should be submitted by 15th May 1996.
Full submissions need to be received by 15th June 1996 (-PLEASE-) in order
to be included in the "proceedings" document which will be published in
time for attendees to receive it at the event.

Electronic submissions should be sent to: Chris Jackson, G7UPN via Internet
at: G7UPN@amsat.org or via the UO-22 satellite.

Submissions by mail should be sent to:

	Chris Jackson, 
	Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd, 
	University Of Surrey, 
	Guildford, 
	England GU2 5XH 

Up-to-date information about the Colloquium can be accessed via the
Internet at either of these two World Wide Web sites:

	http://www.ee.surrey.ac.uk/EE/CSER/UOSAT/new/amateur/colloquium.html

	http://www.mcc.ac.uk/AMSAT/colloquium96.html


[Info via Richard W L Limebear, G3RWL, and John Heaton, G1YYH]


* STS-76 NEWS *
===============
Space Shuttle ATLANTIS successfully lifted off a day later than originally
scheduled due to high wind conditions at one of the emergency landing sites.
A leak was detected shortly after liftoff, and there is a concern that this
could affect Shuttle landing.  The mission could be cut short if the leak is
determined to be a serious matter.


* MIR HEARD OVER US *
=====================
Cosmonauts aboard the Mir space station were received on Monday 18-Mar-96
on 143.625 MHz by Keith Stein as the spacecraft passed over the NASA Wallops
Flight Facility ground station.  Keith reports that the crew was using
Wallops as a relay station to talk with the Mission Control Center in
Moscow and Mission Control Center in Houston.  

This is a rare event since radio hobbyists in North America have not heard 
much on this frequency since 1991 when Russia moved their tracking ships
from the north to the south Atlantic Ocean.  These ships were used as
relays for two-communications between Mir and Mission Control in Russia.

Hobbyists in the surrounding area of Virginia should keep an ear tuned
to 143.625 MHz since it will be used a lot more over the U.S. once U.S.
astronaut Shannon Lucid is on board the station.

[Info via Keith Stein]


* CQ CQ CQ *
============
Egon Schlegel: A long lost friend at e-mail address "VGude@aol.com" is
looking for you.  He asks that you contact him if you can.


* THANKS! *
===========
Thanks to all who provided news items and sent messages of appreciation
to SpaceNews, especially:

     LU2EGQ	   N5GOH	LU6EX       LW7DWN	LU8EDH


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==========================
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* FEEDBACK/INPUT WELCOMED *
===========================
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KD2BD) via any of the paths listed below:
 
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