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Here is the latest article from the Astronomy site at BellaOnline.com.

Greenwich - Peter Harrison Planetarium
Christopher Wren designed the Greenwich Royal Observatory in 1675. Two centuries later the Prime Meridian of the world, 0° of longitude, was established there. Besides its historical interest, the site is a leader in bringing astronomy to the public, in part through the Peter Harrison Planetarium.

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art304518.asp

*Eclipse photos*
The North American coast-to-coast (and an ocean beyond) was the big astronomy story this week. Deborah Byrd and Eleanor Imster of EarthSky share a selection of photos that people sent them. Delightful! http://earthsky.org/todays-image/photos-aug-21-2017-total-solar-eclipse

*Anniversaries*
(1) August 20, 1975: NASA's Viking 1 was launched. It was the first of two spacecraft (along with Viking 2) sent to Mars as part of NASA's Viking program. A year after its launch it became the first spacecraft to land successfully on Mars and perform its mission.
(2) August 20, 1977: NASA's Voyager 2 was launched. It visited all four of the Solar System's gas giants and is the only spacecraft to have visited either Uranus or Neptune. http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art182793.asp
(3) August 22, 1976: The Soviet Luna 24 returned soil samples from the Moon. They were the only such samples to be taken from 2.5 metres below the surface.
(4) August 23, 1966: NASA's Lunar Orbiter 1 took the first image of Earth from the Moon.
(5) August 25, 1989: Voyager 2 flew past Neptune, the only spacecraft to have visited the ice giant.
(6) August 25, 2003: NASA launched the infrared Spitzer Space Telescope.
(7) August 28, 1789: William Herschel discovered Enceladus, a moon of Saturn.

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I wish you clear skies.

Mona Evans, Astronomy Editor
http://astronomy.bellaonline.com

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