Space News Update- November 5, 2013 -

In the News

Story 1: India’s First Mars Mission Launches Flawlessly on Historic Journey to the Red Planet

Story 2:Historic Demonstration Proves Laser Communication Possible

Story 3: New Space Station Instrument Raises Windy Science from the Dead

Departments

The Night SkyISS Sighting Opportunities

Space CalendarNASA-TV Highlights

Food for ThoughtSpace Image of the Week

India’s First Mars Mission Launches Flawlessly on Historic Journey to the

Red Planet

Historic Demonstration Proves Laser Communication Possible

New Space Station Instrument Raises Windy Science from the

Dead

The Night Sky

Sky & Telescope

Tuesday, November 5 •In twilight, look southwest for the waxing crescent Moon with Venus more than a fist-width at arm's length to its left, as shown here.

Wednesday, November 6•Venus and the crescent Moon are closest this evening. Look for them in the southwest as twilight fades.

Thursday, November 7•The bulge of the crescent Moon points sunward — but not quite down to Venus in evening twilight. The Moon is currently 5° north of the ecliptic, while Venus is 4° south of it. (In fact, Venus is at its farthest-south declination, –27° 10′, since 1930!)

Friday, November 8•Using binoculars shortly after dark, look a little to the upper left of the nearly first-quarter Moon (as seen from North America). There will be Alpha and Beta Capricorni, two wide binocular double stars. Alpha is easy to resolve and can even be split with the naked eye if you have sharp vision. Beta, with its closer, fainter secondary star (just west of the primary) is tougher in binoculars.

Saturday, November 9•First-quarter Moon (exact at 12:57 a.m. EST Sunday morning). The Moon shines at nightfall this evening about midway between Altair far to its upper right and Fomalhaut far to its lower left. It's just above the dim pattern of Capricornus.

ISS Sighting Opportunities

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

ISS For Denver:

None until Sunday November 10th.

NASA-TV Highlights(all times Eastern Standard Time)

November 5, Tuesday•9:15 a.m. - ISS Expedition 37 In-Flight Event with the Weather Channel and KSDK-TV, St. Louis - JSC (Public and Media Channels)•12 p.m. - Video File of the ISS Expedition 38/39 Soyuz TMA-11M Spacecraft Rollout to the Launch Pad in Baikonur, Kazakhstan and Launch Pad Interviews - HQ (All Channels)

November 6, Wednesday•12 p.m. - Video File of the Russian State Commission Meeting and Final Expedition 38/39 Pre-Launch Crew News Conference in Baikonur, Kazakhstan - JSC via Baikonur, Kazakhstan (All Channels)•10:15 p.m. - ISS Expedition 38/39 Soyuz TMA-11M Launch Coverage (Launch scheduled at 11:14 p.m. ET; includes video B-roll of the crew’s pre-launch activities at 10:25 p.m. ET) - JSC via Baikonur, Kazakhstan (All Channels)

November 7, Thursday•1 a.m. - Video File of ISS Expedition 38/39 Soyuz TMA-11M Pre-Launch, Launch Video B-Roll and Post-Launch Interviews - JSC (All Channels)•4:45 a.m. - ISS Expedition 38/39 Soyuz TMA-11M Docking Coverage (Docking scheduled at 5:31 a.m. ET) - JSC (All Channels)•7:15 a.m. - ISS Expedition 38/39 Soyuz TMA-11M Hatch Opening and Other Activities (Hatch Opening scheduled at 7:40 a.m. ET) - JSC via Baikonur, Kazakhstan (All Channels)•9 a.m. - Video File of ISS Expedition 38/39 Soyuz TMA-11M Docking, Hatch Opening and Other Activities - JSC (All Channels)

November 8, Friday•8:50 a.m. - ISS Expedition 37/38 Joint Crew News Conference (In native language) - JSC (All Channels)•10:15 a.m. - Interpreted Replay of the ISS Expedition 37/38 Crew News Conference - JSC (All Channels)

Watch NASA TV online by going to the NASA website

Space Calendar

JPL Space Calendar

• Nov 05 - [Oct 29] Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) PSLV-C25 Launch (India)• Nov 05 - Raduga 1M-3 (Cosmos-Globus 1M3) Proton M-Briz M Launch• Nov 05 - Comet P/2005 J1 (McNaught) At Opposition (3.816 AU)• Nov 05 - Comet P/2012 T2 (PANSTARRS) Closest Approach To Earth (3.873 AU)• Nov 05 - [Oct 30] Asteroid 2013 UH5 Near-Earth Flyby (0.040 AU)• Nov 05 - [Oct 30] Asteroid 2013 UM5 Near-Earth Flyby (0.054 AU)• Nov 05 - Asteroid 7919 Prime Closest Approach To Earth (1.516 AU)• Nov 05 - Asteroid 1677 Tycho Brahe Closest Approach To Earth (1.667 AU)• Nov 05 - Asteroid 13897 Vesuvius Closest Approach To Earth (2.943 AU)• Nov 06 - [Oct 30] Soyuz TMA-11M Soyuz FG Launch (International Space Station 37S)• Nov 06 - Asteroid 5050 Doctorwatson Closest Approach To Earth (1.126 AU)• Nov 06 - Asteroid 11356 Chuckjones Closest Approach To Earth (1.707 AU)• Nov 07 - Comet P/2012 T2 (PANSTARRS) At Opposition (3.873 AU)• Nov 07 - Asteroid 2013 UE1 Near-Earth Flyby (0.019 AU)• Nov 07 - Asteroid 2013 RM43 Near-Earth Flyby (0.079 AU)• Nov 07 - Asteroid 293 Brasilia Closest Approach To Earth (1.941 AU)• Nov 07 - Asteroid 48300 Kronk Closest Approach To Earth (2.084 AU)• Nov 08 - Comet 116P/Wild At Opposition (3.418 AU)• Nov 08 - Asteroid 2012 UV136 Near-Earth Flyby (0.048 AU)• Nov 08 - Asteroid 2013 RV9 Near-Earth Flyby (0.069 AU)• Nov 08 - Asteroid 3362 Khufu Closest Approach To Earth (1.018 AU)• Nov 08 - Asteroid 1221 Amor Closest Approach To Earth (1.632 AU)• Nov 08 - 45th Anniversary (1968), Pioneer 9 Launch (Solar Orbiter)• Nov 09 - Comet P/2013 O2 (PANSTARRS) At Opposition (1.180 AU)• Nov 09 - Comet 291P/NEAT At Opposition (1.613 AU)• Nov 09 - Comet P/2012 K3 (Gibbs) At Opposition (2.451 AU)• Nov 09 - Comet 180P/NEAT At Opposition (3.520 AU)• Nov 09 - Asteroid 2013 TN69 Near-Earth Flyby (0.083 AU)• Nov 09 - Asteroid 26858 Misterrogers Closest Approach To Earth (0.716 AU)• Nov 09 - Asteroid 7291 Hyakutake Closest Approach To Earth (1.476 AU)

Food for Thought

On the Road to One Thousand Exoplanets

Space Image of the Week

Night on a Spooky Planet Image Credit & Copyright: Stéphane Vetter (Nuits sacrées)