[X] My Assistant

[tuvas]

Okay, so there's only a few days till the landing, and I'm just curious, where will you all be? Just trying to keep a similar sounding thread to it's original purpose, that's all.

I am planning as of now to be at the LPL event at the University of Arizona. It should be interesting. I can only be there for about the hour around the landing time, but that's alright.

[imipak]

Good idea,..

Thanks! Proof that in the long run, even the most improbable events become possible...

I happen to have three-quarters of a case of Foster's in my kitchen.

Oh, I'm sorry to hear that; I feel your pain. Can't you get hold of any beer? Never mind, you'll find a use for it one day. Why, when we were without mains water for ten days during the great July 2007 Gloucester floods, it would have been perfect for flushing...

I was just reflecting that the only similar experience to the major set-pieces like landings or significant flybys are... election results! (No, wait, come back!) I've a secret double life as an armchair politics fan, and the election night party is an essential part of the fun. Usually you know in advance whether it's going to be a celebration or a wake, but I've had enough nights of unexpected highs and lows over the last thirty years of it to have picked up one useful thing about champagne: it's better for crying into than beer *)

[dvandorn]

Can't you get hold of any beer? Never mind, you'll find a use for it one day.

Actually, the Foster's we get in the U.S. is brewed in Canada by the same people who brew LaBatt's Blue. I doubt it bears much similarity, other than in packaging, to what's available down under.

Beers vary not as much by brand name as by where in the world they are brewed, I think. For example, when I visited England 11 years ago I fell in love with Caffrey's Irish Ale. I've found something with the same name here in the States, but nothing with the same flavor.

-the other Doug

[BrianL]

Actually, the Foster's we get in the U.S. is brewed in Canada by the same people who brew LaBatt's Blue.

And this makes it better?

Thankfully, I have several gallons of fine homebrewed ale on tap should I feel the need Sunday night to celebrate/drown my sorrows.

Brian

[climber]

Not a long time ago (!) I realized this was not my fault is national soccer or rugby teams were losing, my prefered athletes didn't win races, rockets failed at launch and landings were not successful.
So I'm gona drink Champagne during Phoenix landing (and peanuts, just in case... )

[nprev]

'Not eating peanuts is not an option!!!!'

Well, I can't afford champagne enough for this....which makes this post an excellent opportunity to solicit donations for the "Buy Nick Enough Beer to Help Him Survive EDL" drive!!!

I'm thinkin' about sixteen cases would do it. Please send money, gold or negotiable internal organs to PO Box e exp (pi)(i), New New York, 1001110101011.

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

I'll be sitting right in front of my monitor, probably with a glass of beer in my hand and of course, eating peanuts

[Guest_Oersted_*]

I will be in dublin, ireland, visiting friends, borrowing their computer sunday evening....

[fredk]

I'll have as many computers going as I can find - I may even dig out my old windows '98 dinosaur.

I haven't heard anyone mention NASA's solar system simulator. You can configure it to show Mars from the viewpoint of Phoenix. For me it's thrilling to sit with Phoenix and watch as the disc of Mars grows and grows as we approach landing! (The current angular diameter of Mars would also be a nice addition to dmuller's simulation.)

Currently Mars takes up about 3/4 of a degree, 50% larger than our moon appears to us:

(With my monitor/seating distance, the 20 degree field of view in this image matches what I actually see, so this is how big Mars actually appears to Phoenix!)

[imipak]

I haven't heard anyone mention NASA's solar system simulator.

Pop these up in separate tabs in Firefox (be kind to JPL - give the poor server a second or two between requests!), then Ctrl+PgUp along the row... hey presto, poor-man's animated GIF! View of Mars from Phoenix, all times UTC:

midnight, Saturday 25th
9am, Saturday
Noon, Saturday
6pm, Saturday
9pm, Saturday
midnight, Sunday
3am, Sunday
6am, Sunday
9am, Sunday
Noon, Sunday
3pm, Sunday
6pm, Sunday
7pm, Sunday
8pm, Sunday
9pm, Sunday
10pm, Sunday
10:30pm, Sunday
11:00pm, Sunday

[dmuller]

I haven't heard anyone mention NASA's solar system simulator. You can configure it to show Mars from the viewpoint of Phoenix.

The view of Mars as seen from Phoenix gets very blurry once you hit around 23:00 UTC on 25 May. Remember that the Solar System Simulator uses spacecraft event time, and please do not use it beyond 23:32:00 on landing day as Phoenix is shown to bounce off (or fly through Mars) and back into outer space! This is at 23:45 spacecraft event time: http://space.jpl.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/wspace?t...=1&showsc=1

The current angular diameter of Mars would also be a nice addition to dmuller's simulation.

Unfortunately it's too late now to add, but I'll gladly include it for other missions once I get around coding them. BTW, what's the formula?

With my monitor/seating distance, the 20 degree field of view in this image matches what I actually see, so this is how big Mars actually appears to Phoenix!

I always wondered what settings to use to make it appear as seen by someone sitting on Phoenix. My knowledge of optics is really zero, I might just as well be theoretically blind

Daniel

[dmuller]

Announcement for those following the Phoenix Real-Time Simulation at http://www.dmuller.net/phoenix
Just in case anything goes wrong with the server, there is a backup / mirror site of the script at http://www.dmuller.com/phoenix
Enjoy watching the landing! Daniel

[Doc]

I will probably be sleeping when the EDL starts (East African Time 2am), But I guess I can spare a whole hour just for Phoenix. I hope however my almost insignificant alarm can wake me up in the middle of the night. My choice of drink will probably be strong coffee from the slopes of Kilimanjaro

God speed to Phoenix.....

[dmuller]

Well if you drive to an event somewhere, just remember NOT to

• drive your car at a 13 degree angle after you pass the first speed restriction
• open the boot and think the parachute at the back of your car will slow you down in time for the second speed restiction
• open your fuel hatch after coming to a complete stop to vent helium
• call 1-800-ODYSSEY to tell your folks that you have arrived
• stay at the event after it is over because this is not a sample return mission

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

You may laugh at me, but during sleep I was dreaming of parachutes, engine firings and so on

[Decepticon]

I had a dream 2 days ago I was looking at first images that looked strangely like Spirit landing site.