The sky: July 29-August 3

The sky: July 29-August 3

Special to CosmicTribune.com, July 27, 2023 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SATURDAY, JULY 29 ■ The Moon hangs just off the spout of the Sagittarius Teapot this evening. MONDAY, JULY 31 ■ The two brightest stars of summer are Vega, overhead shortly after nightfall, and Arcturus, shining in the west. TUESDAY, AUGUST 1 ■ Full Moon (exact […]

Ominous China satellite constellations and operations

Ominous China satellite constellations and operations

Special to CosmicTribune.com, July 25, 2023 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher According to the U.S. Department of Defense, China maintains over 500 surveillance, intelligence, early warning, navigation and communication satellites around the Earth — the second largest satellite fleet after the United States. But several Chinese satellite programs are underway that will boost these numbers as […]

The sky: July 16-23

The sky: July 16-23

Special to CosmicTribune.com, July 17, 2023 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, JULY 16 ■ The tail of Scorpius is low due south after dark, to the lower right of the Sagittarius Teapot. Look for the two stars especially close together in Scorpius’s tail. These are Lambda and fainter Upsilon Scorpii, known as the Cat’s Eyes. […]

China seeks to dominate Africa’s space sector, displacing U.S. and Europe

China seeks to dominate Africa’s space sector, displacing U.S. and Europe

Special to CosmicTribune.com, July 19, 2023 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher July 18, 2023 Since 2009 China has been Africa’s largest trading partner. All but one of Africa’s 54 states are in the China-led Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) formed in 2000 and over 50 African countries joined the 2019 and 2022 China-led China-Africa Peace and […]

China’s space diplomacy makes gains with Gulf states

China’s space diplomacy makes gains with Gulf states

Special to CosmicTribune.com, July 12, 2023 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher Both the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have ambitions to become major players in space. Both are members of the 27-member Artemis Accords, setting out agreed behavior on the Moon, and both have recently sent astronauts on missions aboard the […]

Sky: July 8-14

Sky: July 8-14

Special to CosmicTribune.com, July 6, 2023 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report: FRIDAY, JULY 7 ■ Upper left of Venus in twilight, Mars is now less than 2° from Regulus. Regulus is magnitude 1.4, Mars is 1.7, meaning Mars is one-third fainter. Mars is closing in on Regulus; they’re now 1.7° apart. Their conjunction comes on July […]

The Sky: June 30-July 6

The Sky: June 30-July 6

Special to CosmicTribune.com, June 29, 2023 FRIDAY, JUNE 30 ■ The Moon shines among the stars of upper Scorpius. The brightest of these is orange Antares about 2° or 3° to the Moon’s lower left (for North America). Next brightest is Delta Scorpii, farther to the Moon’s upper right. Binoculars help through the moonlight and summer […]

In space, India pivots toward the democracies

In space, India pivots toward the democracies

Special to CosmicTribune.com, June 28, 2023 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher Since India its gained independence from Britain’s colonial rule in 1947, American leaders have been trying to convince the leaders of the world’s largest democracy to join in longstanding efforts to advance freedom, or to even combat its dire enemies. But on Earth as in […]

The Sky, June 20-26

The Sky, June 20-26

Special to CosmicTribune.com, June 25, 2023 Excerpts from Sky&Telescope ■ This is the time of year when, after dark, the dim Little Dipper floats straight up from Polaris, the end of its handle. WEDNESDAY JUNE 21 ■ Look west at dusk for the waxing crescent Moon beautifully paired with bright white Venus, as shown below. […]

China advances two Moon-control architectures

China advances two Moon-control architectures

Special to CosmicTribune.com, June 21, 2023 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher China is advancing two architectures it could employ to increase its control of the Moon. ILRSCO First, China is announcing early members of its International Lunar Research Station Cooperation Organization (ILRSCO). It was first announced in April at a conference in Hefei of the China […]