Amateur Photographs Sought for Solar Sail

     NASA has formed a partnership with Spaceweather.com to solicit the amateur-astronomy community to submit the best images of the orbiting NanoSail-D solar sail. NanoSail-D unfurled the first-ever 100-square-foot solar sail in low-Earth orbit January 20.

     To encourage observations of NanoSail-D, Spaceweather.com is offering $500, $300 and $100 prizes.

     The contest is open to all types of images, including, but not limited to, telescopic captures to wide-field camera shots of solar-sail flares. If NanoSail-D’s in the field of view, the image is eligible.

     The solar sail, about the size of a large tent, will be observable from early March to late May before it enters the atmosphere and disintegrates. The contest continues until NanoSail-D re-enters Earth’s atmosphere. Info: http://www.nanosail.org. ■