Comet capsule to produce light show over Western U.S. By ALICIA
CHANG, AP Science Writer Last Updated 11:30 am PST Sunday,
January 8, 2006 LOS ANGELES (AP) - When a NASA capsule hauling
comet and interstellar dust plummets through the Earth's
atmosphere this weekend, residents in large sweeps of the West
will witness a cosmic spectacle. During its blazing re-entry at
1:57 a.m. PST Sunday, the Stardust capsule will travel at 29,000
mph, the fastest return to Earth by a man-made object. The
100-pound cargo will arc over Northern California toward Utah's
Dugway Proving Ground, a remote Army base southwest of Salt Lake
City. Residents in parts of Northern California, Oregon,
Washington, Idaho, Nevada and Utah should see the capsule as it
streaks across the pre-dawn sky, likely appearing as a bright
pink dot to the naked eye. Prime viewing will be along Nevada's
Interstate 80 where residents can view the capsule's front. The
capsule's glow is expected to shine as bright as Venus for 90
seconds. It will appear brig