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05/29/2017 – Ephemeris – We remember too those who died reaching for the stars
Ephemeris for Memorial Day, Monday, May 29th. Today the Sun will be up for 15 hours and 16 minutes, setting at 9:18, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:01. The Moon, 3 days before first quarter, will set at 1:04 tomorrow morning.
Today we pause to remember those who gave their lives for our country. For purposes of this program that includes those courageous enough to sit on top of or beside a million pounds of explosives to be launched into space. From the three astronauts who died in the Apollo one file in 1967, the explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1986, to the disintegration of the Columbia in 2003, 17 Americans and other nationals have died in NASA space accidents. The Russians too have lost cosmonauts in the exploration of space. Brothers and sisters in the quest for knowledge and to expand the horizons of human habitation. Per aspera, ad astra, Through difficulties to the stars!
The times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
A listing of Astronaut and Cosmonaut deaths: http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/history/q0114.shtml
Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog 