Space News Update- February 27, 2012 -

In the News

Story 1: Aurora Mystery Solved?

Story 2:Twenty-five years after supernova 1987A

Story 3: A Planetary Exo-splosion

 Departments

The Night SkyISS Sighting Opportunities

NASA-TV HighlightsSpace CalendarFood for Thought

Space Image of the Week

Aurora Mystery Solved?

Twenty-five years after supernova 1987A

A Planetary Exo-splosion

The Night SkyMonday, February 27 · See the six or seven brightest night objects at once. The last few days of February and first few days of March offer a rare chance for people at mid-northern latitudes to see at least a half dozen of the night sky's brightest objects simultaneously, 30 to 60 minutes after sunset. In order of brightness these are the Moon, Venus, Jupiter, Sirius, Mars, Mercury, and (for southerners) Canopus. See our article, with pictures.  Tuesday, February 28 · Now the evening Moon shines left of the Pleiades.  Wednesday, February 29 · First-quarter Moon (exact at 8:21 p.m. EST). The Moon shines near Aldebaran in Taurus. · Thursday, March 1 · Early this evening, the Moon occults (covers) the 5th-magnitude star 114 Tauri for most of the eastern U.S. and southern Ontario. Some times for the star's disappearance behind the Moon's dark limb: Toronto, 7:47 p.m. EST; Atlanta, 7:18 p.m. EST; Chicago, 6:23 p.m. CST. Then later tonight, the Moon's dark limb covers 3rd-magnitude Zeta Tauri for the Northeast and much of the Midwest. Some times: Toronto, 1:25 a.m. EST; Washington, DC, 1:36 a.m. EST; Chicago, 12:39 a.m. CST; Winnipeg, 12:16 a.m. CST.

Friday, March 2 · The dark limb of the Moon occults the 4.1-magnitude star Nu Geminorum late tonight for most of eastern and central North America. Some times: Montreal, 12:15 a.m. EST; Washington, DC, 12:29 a.m. EST; Atlanta, 12:49 a.m. EST; Chicago, 11:21 p.m. CST; Kansas City, 11:34 p.m. CST, Edmonton, 9:32 p.m.

ISS Sighting Opportunities

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

For Denver:

SATELLITE LOCAL DURATIONMAX ELEV

APPROACH DEPARTURE

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

ISS Mon Feb 27/06:20 PM 4 19 11 above NNW 10 above ENE

ISS Mon Feb 27/07:56 PM < 1 24 19 above WNW 24 above WNW

ISS Tue Feb 28/06:58 PM 4 57 10 above NW 33 above E

ISS Wed Feb 29/07:40 PM 1 27 21 above W 27 above SW

ISS Thu Mar 01/06:43 PM 4 65 29 above WNW 10 above SE

ISS Fri Mar 02/07:23 PM 2 13 13 above WSW 10 above SSW

ISS Sat Mar 03/06:27 PM 3 29 29 above SW 11 above SSE

NASA-TV Highlights

February 27, Monday10:35 a.m. - ISS Expedition 30 In-Flight Interviews with KGO-TV, San Francisco and ABC Radio Network - JSC (Public and Media Channels)

March 1, Thursday12:05 p.m. - Digital Learning Network ISS Mission Control Event – HQ (All Channels)

March 2, Friday1 p.m. - Celebrating John Glenn’s Legacy: 50 Years of Americans in Orbit 1962-2012 - GRC (All Channels)

Watch NASA TV on the Net by going to NASA website.

Space Calendar

Feb 27 - Asteroid 4031 Mueller Closest Approach To Earth (0.946 AU) Feb 27 - Asteroid 1776 Kuiper Closest Approach To Earth (2.084 AU) Feb 27 - Asteroid 5102 Benfranklin Closest Approach To Earth (2.260 AU) Feb 27 - Bernard Lyot's 115th Birthday (1897) Feb 28 - Asteroid 2002 QC7 Near-Earth Flyby (0.071 AU) Feb 28 - Asteroid 10044 Squyres Closest Approach To Earth (2.418 AU) Feb 28 - 5th Anniversary (2007), New Horizons, Jupiter Flyby Feb 29 - Asteroid 7336 Saunders Closest Approach To Earth (2.344 AU) Mar 01 - Asteroid 3352 McAuliffe Closest Approach To Earth (0.410 AU) Mar 01 - 30th Anniversary (1982), Venera 13, Venus Landing/Flyby (USSR) Mar 02 - Comet P/2011 VJ5 (Lemmon) Closest Approach To Earth (0.813 AU) Mar 02 - Comet C/2012 A2 (LINEAR) Closest Approach To Earth (3.521 AU) Mar 02 - Asteroid 12410 Donald Duck Closest Approach To Earth (1.105 AU) Mar 02 - Asteroid 2933 Amber Closest Approach To Earth (1.749 AU) Mar 02 - 40th Anniversary (1972), Pioneer 10 Launch (Jupiter Flyby Mission) Mar 03 - Mars At Opposition Mar 03 - Comet P/2012 A3 (SOHO) Closest Approach To Earth (0.791 AU) Mar 03 - Asteroid 2008 CE119 Near-Earth Flyby (0.067 AU) Mar 03 - Asteroid 8209 Toscanelli Closest Approach To Earth (1.683 AU)

JPL Space Calendar

Food for Thought

35 Years Later, the ‘Wow!’ Signal Still Tantalizes

Space Image of the Week

NASA Cassini Image: The Plumes of Enceladus