HEAPOW: The End of ROSAT (2011 Oct 24)

[bystander]

HEAPOW: The End of ROSAT (2011 Oct 24)

ROSAT, the Röntgensatellit, was an X-ray satellite observatory, an international collaboration between the Max-Planck-Institut f&uumlr extraterrestrische Physik (MPE), NASA, The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, and the University of Leicester. ROSAT was launched from Cape Canaveral on June 1, 1990. By January 1991, ROSAT had obtained the first X-ray image of the entire sky. ROSAT was designed to observe the sky in X-rays and in the extreme ultraviolet for three years, but the satellite far exceeded this design requirement. ROSAT made science observations for more than nine years, discovering million-degree gas pervading the Milky Way, finding X-ray emission from comets, studying large reservoirs of normal matter within clusters of galaxies, providing the first detailed views of star formation and stellar activity in young stars, along with detailed measurements of Dark Matter. ROSAT was turned off on February 12, 1999, and since that time had been circling the earth in an increasingly unstable orbit. Finally, ROSAT re-entered the earth's atmosphere sometime between 01:45 to 02:15 Greenwich Mean Time Sunday, October 23 (9:45 p.m. to 10:15 p.m. EDT Saturday, October 22). Up to 30 fragments weighing a total of 1.6 tons could have crashed to the earth's surface at speeds of up to 280 miles per hour. No one knows (yet) precisely where ROSAT landed, though the best guess is somewhere east of Sri Lanka over the Indian Ocean, or over the Andaman Sea off the coast of Myanmar, or further inland in Myanmar or as far inland as China. A sad end to what was truly one of the most productive X-ray satellites ever flown.

MSNBC: Satellite debris could have hit Asia, or the sea
http://asterisk.apod.com/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=25417

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Author: Dr. Michael F. Corcoran

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HEAPOW: The End of ROSAT (2011 Oct 24)

No one knows (yet) precisely where ROSAT landed, though the best guess is somewhere east of Sri Lanka over the Indian Ocean, or over the Andaman Sea off the coast of [Burma], or further inland in [Burma] or as far inland as China. A sad end to what was truly one of the most productive X-ray satellites ever flown.

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<<Burma-Shave sign series appeared from 1925 to 1963 in most of the contiguous United States. The exceptions were New Mexico, Arizona, and Nevada (deemed to have insufficient road traffic), and Massachusetts (eliminated due to that state's high land rentals and roadside foliage). Typically, six consecutive small signs would be posted along the edge of highways, spaced for sequential reading by passing motorists. The last sign was almost always the name of the product. The signs were originally produced in two color combinations: red-and-white and orange-and-black, though the latter was eliminated after a few years. A special white-on-blue set of signs was developed for South Dakota, which restricted the color red on roadside signs to official warning notices.

The billboards were used in an episode of Jack Benny's Radio show, this particular episode being aired in 09/17/1950. Jack and Mary are sitting in a gondola whilst in Italy and Mary sees a grouping of the Burma-Shave billboards along the canal.

This use of the billboard was a successful advertising gimmick during the early years of the automobile, drawing attention and passers-by who were curious to discover the punchline. As the Interstate system expanded in the late 1950s and vehicle speeds increased, it became more difficult to attract motorists' attention with small signs. When the company was acquired by Phillip Morris, the signs were discontinued on advice of counsel.>>