Space News Update- February 7, 2011 -

In the News

Story 1: First Ever STEREO Images of the Entire Sun

Story 2:NASA Deputy Administrator Visits Colorado Innovation Sites

Story 3: Earth-Like Worlds Might Be as 'Common as Ants at a Picnic'

 Departments

The Night SkyISS Sighting Opportunities

NASA-TV HighlightsFood for Thought

Space Image of the Week

First Ever STEREO Images of the Entire Sun

NASA Deputy Administrator Visits Colorado Innovation

Sites

Earth-Like Worlds Might Be as 'Common as Ants at a Picnic'

The Night SkyMonday, February 7 · The Moon is over Jupiter this evening. Look to their right for the Great Square of Pegasus, tipped onto one corner.  Tuesday, February 8 · You may know of the fine winter star cluster M41, visible in binoculars about one binocular field south of Sirius. But what about the cluster M50? Follow a line from Sirius to the tip of Canis Major's nose (Theta Canis Majoris), continue nearly as far exactly straight onward, and there you are. M50 is magnitude 5.9, quite a bit fainter than M41's magnitude 4.5. In the same field with M50 is another, the fainter cluster: NGC 2343, a tougher catch at magnitude 6.7. · Before the start of dawn Wednesday morning, the asteroid Vesta is 0.4° north of Venus. They're magnitudes +7.8 and –4.3, respectively, a 70,000-times difference in brightness!  Wednesday, February 9 · The eclipsing binary star Algol (Beta Persei) should be at minimum brightness, magnitude 3.4 instead of its usual 2.1, for a couple hours centered on 10:18 p.m. EST; 7:18 p.m. PST. Algol takes several additional hours to fade and to rebrighten.  Thursday, February 10 · First-quarter Moon tonight (exact at 2:18 a.m. Friday morning EST). Look upper left of the Moon for the Pleiades. Farther left of the Pleiades shines Aldebaran.  Friday, February 11 · The Moon shines near the Pleiades after dusk (for the time zones of the Americas). Binoculars give a fine view. Watch the Moon move along its orbit with respect to the cluster as the hours pass.

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 Tue Feb 08/06:03 AM 3 34 15 above NNW 26 above ENE

ISS Wed Feb 09/04:57 AM < 1 16 16 above NE 16 above NE

ISS Wed Feb 09/06:29 AM 4 65 16 above WNW 25 above SE

ISS Thu Feb 10/05:22 AM 1 39 36 above N 29 above ENE

ISS Fri Feb 11/05:48 AM 3 55 30 above WNW 16 above SE

NASA-TV Highlights

February 7, Monday

12:30 p.m. - NASA TV Video File - B-Roll of Mark Kelly Training for STS-134 - JSC (Public, HD and Media Channels)4 p.m. - NASA TV Video File - Additional B-Roll of Mark Kelly Training for STS-134 - JSC (Public, HD and Media Channels)

February 9, Wednesday

10:10 a.m. - ISS Expedition 26 In-Flight Interviews with NPR’s “All Things Considered” and KHOU-TV, Houston - JSC (Public and Media Channels) Watch NASA TV on the Net by going to NASA website.

Food for Thought

How To See NanoSail-D From Your Own Backyard

Space Image of the Week