Space News Update- September 26, 2014 -

In the News

Story 1: Delta IV Booster Integration Another Step Toward First Orion Flight

Story 2: Multicolor Mars! Speedy NASA Spacecraft Takes Pictures Just Hours After Arrival

Story 3: Despite solar array glitch, Soyuz crew arrives at station

 Departments

The Night SkyISS Sighting Opportunities

Space CalendarNASA-TV Highlights

Food for ThoughtSpace Image of the Week

Delta IV Booster Integration Another Step Toward First Orion

Flight

Multicolor Mars! Speedy NASA Spacecraft Takes Pictures Just Hours

After Arrival

Despite solar array glitch, Soyuz crew arrives at station

Sunday, September 28Spot the Moon in the southwest as twilight fades. Use it as your guide to Saturn far to its lower right, and the Mars-Antares pair to its left (as shown above). Monday, September 29The thick waxing crescent Moon now stands above Mars and Antares at dusk (as shown above). Tuesday, September 30Arcturus is the bright star due west at nightfall. It's an orange giant 37 light-years away. Off to its right in the northwest is the Big Dipper, most of whose stars are about 80 light-years away. They're both sinking lower every week now. 

The Night Sky

Sky & Telescope

Friday, September 26As early as 8 or 9 p.m. now look for Fomalhaut, the lonely 1st-magnitude Autumn Star, twinkling on its way up from the southeast horizon. It will be highest due south around 11 or midnight (depending on your location).

Saturday, September 27Low in the southwest in twilight, Mars and Antares are passing 3° apart this evening and Sunday evening, as shown above. Meanwhile, off to their right, the waxing crescent Moon floats a couple degrees to the lower right of Saturn (for North America). 

 

ISS Sighting Opportunities

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

ISS For Denver:

Date Visible Max Height Appears Disappears

Sat Sep 27, 5:11 AM

3 min 19° 14 above NNW 17 above NE

Sun Sep 28, 4:24 AM

< 1 min 14° 14 above NE 13 above NE

Sun Sep 28, 5:57 AM

5 min 62° 10 above NW 29 above ESE

Mon Sep 29, 5:10 AM

2 min 36° 28 above N 25 above ENE

Tue Sep 30, 4:24 AM

< 1 min 15° 15 above ENE 15 above ENE

Tue Sep 30, 5:57 AM

5 min 43° 17 above WNW 12 above SSE

NASA-TV Highlights

No Special Event programming.

Watch NASA TV online by going to the NASA website

Space Calendar

JPL Space Calendar

Sep 26 - Moon Occults Asteroid 21 LutetiaSep 26 - Comet 278P/McNaught At Opposition (2.495 AU)Sep 26 - Comet 246P/NEAT At Opposition (3.077 AU)Sep 26 - [Sep 26] Asteroid 2014 SU223 Near-Earth Flyby (0.005 AU)Sep 26 - [Sep 25] Asteroid 2014 SH144 Near-Earth Flyby (0.061 AU)Sep 26 - Asteroid 2009 FG19 Near-Earth Flyby (0.089 AU)Sep 26 - Asteroid 5649 Donnashirley Closest Approach To Earth (0.898 AU)Sep 26 - Asteroid 10101 Fourier Closest Approach To Earth (1.126 AU)Sep 26 - Plutino 2001 QF298 At Opposition (42.304 AU)Sep 26 - Teleconference: Review of NASA's Evidence Reports on Human Health RisksSep 26 - 15th Anniversary (1999), Kobe Meteorite Fall (Hit House in Japan)Sep 27 - [Sep 25] Comet C/2014 S2 (PANSTARRS) At Opposition (4.088 AU)Sep 27 - Comet C/2012 Q1 (Kowalski) At Opposition (9.380 AU)Sep 27 - Asteroid 2007 DL41 Near-Earth Flyby (0.047 AU)Sep 27 - Asteroid 4690 Strasbourg Closest Approach To Earth (0.842 AU)Sep 27 - Asteroid 4372 Quincy Closest Approach To Earth (1.599 AU)Sep 27 - Daniel Kirkwood's 200th Birthday (1814)Sep 28 - Olymp 1 (Luch) Proton-M Briz-M LaunchSep 28 - Moon Occults SaturnSep 28 - Moon Occults Dwarf Planet CeresSep 28 - Moon Occults Asteroid 4 VestaSep 28 - Comet C/2013 V5 (Oukaimeden) Perihelion (0.626 AU)Sep 28 - Comet 233P/La Sagra At Opposition (1.693 AU)Sep 28 - Comet 26P/Grigg-Skjellerup At Opposition (2.919 AU)Sep 28 - Asteroid 1815 Beethoven Closest Approach To Earth (2.244 AU)Sep 28 - 45th Anniversay (1969), Murchison Meteorite Shower (Hit Barn in Australia)Sep 29 - [Sep 25] Comet Lemmon-PANSTARRS (P/2014 R5) Closest Approach To Earth (1.511 AU)Sep 29 - Comet C/2014 N3 (NEOWISE) At Oppostion (3.318 AU)Sep 29 - [Sep 26] Asteroid 2014 SH224 Near-Earth Flyby (0.006 AU)Sep 29 - [Sep 24] Asteroid 2014 SS143 Near-Earth Flyby (0.009 AU)Sep 29 - [Sep 25] Asteroid 2014 SZ144 Near-Earth Flyby (0.010 AU)Sep 29 - Asteroid 1193 Africa Closest Approach To Earth (1.872 AU)Sep 29 - 5th Anniversary (2009), MESSENGER, 3rd Mercury FlybySep 29 - 10th Anniversary (2004), SpaceShipOne Launch F-2 (2nd Private Manned Space Flight)Sep 29-Oct 05 - Astronomy WeekSep 30 - Kondor-E 1 Strela LaunchSep 30 - Comet 113P/Spitaler Closest Approach To Earth (1.625 AU)Sep 30 - Comet 264P/Larsen At Opposition (4.139 AU)Sep 30 - 20th Anniversary (1994), STS-68 Launch (Space Shuttle Endeavour, Radar Imaging)Sep 30 - Phil Plait's 50th Birthday (1964)

Food for Thought

Heritage of Earth's water gives rise to hopes of life on other planets

Space Image of the Week

NGC 206 and the Star Clouds of Andromeda