Dining & Nightlife | Astronomy

Way back in September 1962, Canada launched Alouette 1, becoming the third country to design, build, and orbit its own satellite. Just ten years later, Canada was the first country to launch its own geosynchronous communications satellite, the Anik A1. Anik E1, another communications satellite, was placed in a geosynchronous orbit more recently. Canada has, indeed, been a significant player in space-based communications.

A communications satellite in a geosynchronous orbit always appears at the same position in the sky and thus the antenna used to communicate with the satellite need not be equipped with tracking capability—it can be mounted in a fixed position. The satellite that transmits television signals to the dish mounted on your house is an excellent example of a geosynchronous satellite. The use of a geostationary orbit (meaning the samething) for a communications satellite was first suggested by Arthur C. Clarke, the author of the novel upon which the film 2001: A Space Odyssey was based.

* The Autumnal Equinox, which marks the first day of fall, occurs on the 23rd of September at 5:04am Eastern Daylight Time. It is one of two instances each year (the other being the Vernal Equinox) when the amounts of day and night become equal.
* Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are the early evening planets this month. They all require a telescope to appreciate. Why not visit Custer where you will get a chance to view these planets through our powerful telescopes? Uranus will be at opposition on September 25th; it is one of the best times to view this distant world.
* Mars can be seen in the east and Jupiter will ride fairly high in the southwestern skies an hour or so before the sun comes up. Jupiter should be unmistakable—it will be the brightest object in the early-morning sky.
* There are no dramatic meteor showers expected this
September.