Space News Update- January 23, 2012-

In the News

Story 1: Huge Solar Eruption Sparks Strongest Radiation Storm in 7 Years

Story 2:Cassini Sees the Two Faces of Titan's Dunes

Story 3: Celestial Stunner: Venus to Cross Face of Sun This Year

 Departments

The Night SkyISS Sighting Opportunities

NASA-TV HighlightsSpace CalendarFood for Thought

Space Image of the Week

Huge Solar Eruption Sparks Strongest Radiation Storm in 7

Years

Cassini Sees the Two Faces of Titan's Dunes

Celestial Stunner: Venus to Cross Face of Sun This Year

The Night Sky

Monday, January 23 · By 9 p.m. the Big Dipper is already standing vertically on its handle, well up in the northeast — an early sign of the approach of spring.  · Jupiter's Great Red Spot crosses the planet's central meridian around 7:54 p.m. EST.

· How well do you know the telescopic sights of Orion's Belt and Sword, really? Make new finds here with Sue French's Deep-Sky Wonders article and chart in the January Sky & Telescope, page 54.  Tuesday, January 24 · In twilight, look far lower right of Venus for the thin crescent Moon, as shown above.  Wednesday, January 25 · Venus and the waxing crescent Moon shine in the west-southwest in twilight about 8° apart, as shown above.  Thursday, January 26 · The Moon shines over Venus in twilight, as shown above.  Friday, January 27 · Now the Moon is higher above Venus. Once the stars come out, look a similar distance to the Moon's right for the bottom star of the Great Square of Pegasus. The Great Square is balancing on this corner.

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 Tue Jan 24/06:34 AM 1 10 10 above N 10 above NNE

ISS Wed Jan 25/05:38 AM< 1 10 10 above N 10 above N

ISS Thu Jan 26/06:16 AM 2 11 10 above N 10 above NNE

NASA-TV Highlights January 23, Monday8:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. - Zero Robotics ISS Finals 11 a.m. - ISS Update - JSC (Media Channels)

January 24, Tuesday2:40 p.m. - ISS Expedition 30 In-Flight Event with Commander Dan Burbank and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy - JSC (Public, HD and Media Channels)

January 25, Wednesday9:25 a.m. - ISS Expedition 30 In-Flight Event for ESA with European Industry representatives - JSC (Public, HD and Media Channels)5:45 p.m. - ISS Progress 46 Launch Coverage (Launch scheduled at 6:06 p.m. ET) - JSC(Public, HD and Media Channels)

January 26, Thursday9:25 a.m. - ISS Expedition 30 Educational In-Flight Event with the Wise County, VA Public Schools - JSC (Public, HD and Media Channels)

January 27, Friday6:30 p.m. - ISS Progress 46 Docking Coverage (docking scheduled at 7:08 p.m. ET) - JSC(Public, HD and Media Channels)

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

Space Calendar

· Jan 23 - Chinese New Year · Jan 23 - Comet P/2011 W1 (PANSTARRS) Perihelion (3.310 AU) · Jan 23 - Asteroid 2012 BS1 Near-Earth Flyby (0.008 AU) · Jan 23 - Asteroid 2012 AC3 Near-Earth Flyby (0.073 AU) · Jan 23 - Asteroid 1193 Africa Closest Approach To Earth (1.808 AU) · Jan 24 - Asteroid 2012 BY1 Near-Earth Flyby (0.005 AU) · Jan 24 - Asteroid 757 Portlandia Closest Approach To Earth (1.255 AU) · Jan 24 - Asteroid 3354 McNair Closest Approach To Earth (1.558 AU) · Jan 24 - Asteroid 4151 Alanhale Closest Approach To Earth (1.739 AU) · Jan 24 - Asteroid 12413 Johnnyweir CLosest Approach To Earth (1.844 AU) · Jan 24 - Asteroid 16035 Sasandford Closest Approach To Earth (2.053 AU) · Jan 24 - Asteroid 8721 AMOS Closest Approach To Earth (2.969 AU) · Jan 24 - Harold Babcock's 130th Birthday (1882) · Jan 25 - Progress M-14M Soyuz U Launch (International Space Station 46P) · Jan 25 - Asteroid 7341 (1991 VK) Near-Earth Flyby (0.065 AU) · Jan 25 - Asteroid 25924 Douglasadams Closest Approach To Earth (1.712 AU) · Jan 26 - Comet 255P/Levy Closest Approach To Earth (0.236 AU) · Jan 26 - Asteroid 5641 McCleese Closest Approach To Earth (0.876 AU) · Jan 26 - Asteroid 3693 Barringer Closest Approach To Earth (2.458 AU) · Jan 26 - 50th Anniversary (1962), Ranger 3 Launch (Moon Impact Mission) · Jan 27 - Comet C/2011 Q2 (McNaught) Closest Approach To Earth (2.271 AU) · Jan 27 - Asteroid 36800 Katarinawitt Closest Approach To Earth (1.533 AU) · Jan 27 - 45th Anniversary (1967), Apollo 1 Fire (Gus Grissom, Edward White & Roger Chaffee)

JPL Space Calendar

Food for ThoughtT-rays technology could help develop Star

Trek-style hand-held medical scanners

Space Image of the Week3 Generations of NASA’s Mars Rovers