Space News Update- April 8, 2011 -

In the News

Story 1: NASA Telescopes Join Forces To Observe Unprecedented Explosion

Story 2: Scientists Find New Type Of Mineral In Historic Meteorite

Story 3: SpaceX enters the realm of heavy-lift rocketry

 Departments

The Night SkyISS Sighting Opportunities

Space CalendarNASA-TV Highlights

Food for ThoughtSpace Image of the Week

NASA Telescopes Join Forces To Observe Unprecedented Explosion

Scientists Find New Type of Mineral in Historic Meteorite

SpaceX enters the realm of heavy-lift rocketry

The Night Sky

Friday, April 8 · Arcturus, the "Spring Star," is the brightest point shining high in the east these evenings. If you wait up until about 10 or 10:30 you can log an early sighting of Vega, the equally bright "Summer Star," rising low in the northeast.

Saturday, April 9 · The Moon, in the feet of Gemini, is a very thick crescent less than two days from first quarter. If your sky is really clear after dark, binoculars will show the star cluster M35 roughly 2° to the Moon's upper right (for North America). In binoculars it's a largish, dim glow. In a telescope it's a city of stars.

Sunday, April 10 · Lunar occultation: Skywatchers in eastern North America this evening can watch the dark limb of the first-quarter Moon snap up Zeta Geminorum, magnitude 3.8. Some times: Toronto, 9:10 p.m. EDT; Washington DC, 9:17 p.m. EDT; Atlanta, 9:09 p.m. EDT; Miami, 9:29 p.m. EDT. Map and timetables for many more locations. In some places the occultation happens in twilight and you'll need a telescope.

Monday, April 11 · First-quarter Moon (exact at 8:05 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time).

ISS Sighting Opportunities

SATELLITE LOCAL DURATIONMAX ELEV

APPROACH DEPARTURE

DATE/TIME (MIN) (DEG) (DEG-DIR) (DEG-DIR)

Sighting information for other cities can be found at NASA’s Satellite Sighting Information

For Denver:

ISS Sat Apr 09/05:19 AM 2 11 10 above N 11 above NNE

ISS Sun Apr 10/05:44 AM 2 20 11 above NNW 20 above NE

ISS Mon Apr 11/04:35 AM 2 12 10 above N 12 above NNE

ISS Tue Apr 12/05:00 AM 2 22 11 above NNW 21 above NE

NASA-TV Highlights

April 11, Monday10:05 a.m. - ISS Expedition 27 In-Flight Interviews with the Associated Press and CBS News - JSC (Public, HD and Media Channels)

Watch NASA TV on the Net by going to NASA website

Space Calendar

Apr 08 - Asteroid 26858 Misterrogers Closest Approach To Earth (1.447 AU) Apr 08 - Asteroid 4547 Massachusetts Closest Approach To Earth (1.792 AU) Apr 09 - [Apr 05] Asteroid 2011 GZ2 Near-Earth Flyby (0.007 AU) Apr 09 - [Apr 05] Asteroid 2011 FT53 Near-Earth Flyby (0.015 AU) Apr 09 - Asteroid 13681 Monty Python Closest Approach To Earth (1.916 AU) Apr 10 - [Apr 07] Beidou 2-IGS 3 (Compass IGS-3) CZ-3A Launch Apr 10 - Asteroid 2874 Jim Young Closest Approach To Earth (1.522 AU) Apr 10 - Asteroid 827 Wolfiana Closest Approach To Earth (1.623 AU) Apr 11 - Comet 37P/Forbes Closest Approach To Earth (1.756 AU) Apr 11 - Asteroid 1726 Hoffmeister Occults HIP 65074 (6.7 Magnitude Star) Apr 11 - Asteroid 12382 Niagara Falls Closest Approach To Earth (1.783 AU) Apr 11 - Asteroid 804 Hispania Closest Approach To Earth (2.085 AU) Apr 11 - Asteroid 40227 Tahiti Closest Approach To Earth (3.466 AU) Apr 11 - 5th Anniversary (2006), Venus Express, Venus Orbit Insertion

Artist’s impression of Venus Express in orbit. Credit: ESA

Artist’s impression of Venus Express in orbit. Credit: ESA

Food for ThoughtNASA braces for possible government shutdown

Space Image of the WeekEchoes from the Depths of a Red Giant Star