The Week in Space

February 9, 2009

Astronomy and the Merchants of Venice   William Shakespeare and Galileo Galilei, both born in 1564, are linked in more ways than one. Shakespeare’s play The Merchant of Venice takes place in what was then the world center of commerce. Galileo, born 445 years ago this week, taught mathematics in Venice, but his refinement of the telescope was a priceless tool for commodities brokers, who could now see approaching merchant ships hours in advance of their arrival. Galileo also turned his telescope skyward and discovered, among other things, a quartet of moons orbiting Jupiter.  The New Horizons spacecraft, en route to Pluto in early 2007, obtained this montage of images that show Jupiter and Io, one of the four Jovian moons Galileo discovered.  An active volcano can be seen erupting on Io’s dark side. 

Image credit: NASA /JHU APL / Southwest Research Institute / Goddard Space Flight Center

Weekly Calendar

February 9, 2009

Holidays - Sky Events - Space History

Monday 9

1971: Apollo 14 returns from Moon; last post-mission quarantine

Tuesday 10

1990: Galileo spacecraft passes by Venus on its way to Jupiter
1992: First Atlas II launch

Wednesday 11

Saturn 6° north of Moon

1970: First Japanese satellite launched
1984: STS-41B Challenger makes first shuttle landing at KSC
1997: STS-82 Discovery launched
2000: STS-99 Endeavour launched

Thursday 12

Neptune in conjunction with Sun

1963: NASA selects contractor to build the Crawler Transporter
1974: Mars 5 enters orbit around Mars
2001: NEAR-Shoemaker lands on asteroid Eros

Friday 13

Mercury at greatest elongation (26° W)

1852: Johan Dreyer born

Saturday 14

Valentine’s Day

1972: Luna 20 launched
1980: Solar Max launched
1990: Voyager 1 takes solar system "family portrait"
2000: NEAR-Shoemaker orbits asteroid Eros

Sunday 15

1564: Galileo Galilei born
1973: Pioneer 10 becomes first spacecraft to pass through the asteroid belt
 

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