Space News Update- March 26, 2012 -

In the News

Story 1: 'Warp-Speed' Planets Flung Out of Galaxy on Wild Ride

Story 2:NASA mission close to finding ice on scorching Mercury

Story 3: Moon Formation Theory Challenged by New Study

Departments

The Night SkyISS Sighting Opportunities

NASA-TV HighlightsSpace CalendarFood for Thought

Space Image of the Week

'Warp-Speed' Planets Flung Out of Galaxy on Wild Ride

NASA mission close to finding ice on scorching Mercury

Moon Formation Theory Challenged by New Study

The Night SkyMonday, March 26 · The Moon and Venus, the two brightest celestial objects after the Sun, appear paired up in the west this evening. In reality Venus is 260 times farther away. It's at a distance of 6 light-minutes from Earth, compared to the Moon's distance of 1.3 light-seconds. Jupiter, looking on from below, is currently 48 light-minutes from Earth. Coincidentally, Venus is at its greatest elongation: 46° east of the Sun. That makes this the very best possible time to spot Venus during daylight hours.

· Tuesday, March 27 · As night comes on, look for the little Pleiades cluster to the lower right of the Moon and above Venus. Left of the Moon shines orange Aldebaran, with the stars of the Hyades around it.

· Wednesday, March 28· If you observe with binoculars you're probably well acquainted with the big Beehive Cluster, M44 in Cancer, very high in the evening this month. But how about the smaller, fainter cluster M67 in the same vicinity? And have you tried to resolve Iota Cancri, a rather difficult binocular double star? See Gary Seronik's Binocular Highlight column and chart in the March Sky & Telescope, page 45.

Thursday, March 29 · This is the time of year when the dim Little Dipper juts to the right from Polaris (its handle-end) during evening hours. The much brighter Big Dipper curls over high above it, "dumping water" into it. · This is also the time of year when Orion, declining in the southwest after dark, displays his three-star Belt more or less horizontally.

Friday, March 30 · First-quarter Moon (exact at 3:41 p.m. EDT). The Moon shines in the legs of Gemini, below Pollux and Castor and high above sinking Betelgeuse.

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 Mar 27/04:41 AM 1 13 13 above N 10 above NNE

ISS Tue Mar 27/06:17 AM < 1 10 10 above N 10 above N

ISS Wed Mar 28/05:19 AM < 1 10 10 above N 10 above N

ISS Thu Mar 29/04:23 AM < 1 10 10 above N 10 above N

ISS Thu Mar 29/05:58 AM 2 11 10 above N 10 above NNE

ISS Fri Mar 30/05:01 AM < 1 10 10 above N 10 above N

NASA-TV Highlights

March 28, Wednesday5:45 p.m. - ISS European Space Agency “Edoardo Amaldi” Automated Transfer Vehicle Docking Coverage (Docking scheduled at 6:32 p.m. ET) - JSC (All Channels)

March 29, Thursday12:05 p.m. - ISS Mission Control Interview with the Digital Learning Network - JSC (All Channels)

March 30, Friday8:40 a.m. - ISS Expedition 30 In-Flight Interview with WNYW-TV, New York’s “Good Day, New York” Program - JSC (Public, Education and Media Channels)

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

Space CalendarMar 26 - Mars Science Laboratory (MSL), Trajectory Correction Maneuver #2 (TCM-2)Mar 26 - Cosmos-Oko (US-KMO) Proton M-Briz M LaunchMar 26 - Asteroid 22824 von Neumann Closest Approach To Earth (1.710 AU)Mar 26 - Asteroid 2097 Galle Closest Approach To Earth (2.899 AU)Mar 27 - Cassini, Enceladus FlybyMar 27 - Cassini, Distany Flyby of Polydeuces, Prometheus & JanusMar 27 - Venus At Its Greatest Eastern Elongation (46 Degrees)Mar 27 - Asteroid 2012 FE Near-Earth Flyby (0.032 AU)Mar 27 - Asteroid 6434 Jewitt Closest Approach To Earth (1.829 AU)Mar 27 - 40th Anniversary (1972), Venera 8 Launch (USSR Venus Lander/Orbiter Mission)Mar 28 - Cassini, Distant Flyby of DioneMar 28 - Asteroid 823 Sisigambis Occults HIP 60088 (6.8 Magnitude Star)Mar 28 - 210th Anniversary (1802), Heinrich Olbers' Discovery of Asteroid 2 PallasMar 29 - NROL-25 Delta 4M LaunchMar 29 - Asteroid 8256 Shenzhou Closest Approach To Earth (1.464 AU)Mar 29 - Asteroid 4783 Wasson Closest Approach To Earth (1.505 AU)Mar 29 - Asteroid 1886 Lowell Closest Approach To Earth (1.672 AU)Mar 29 - Asteroid 916 America Closest Approach To Earth (1.935 AU)Mar 29 - 205th Anniversary (1807), Heinrich Olbers' Discovery of Asteroid 4 VestaMar 30 - Cassini, Orbital Trim Maneuver #314 (OTM-314)Mar 30 - Asteroid 2012 EM8 Near-Earth Flyby (0.047 AU)Mar 30 - Asteroid 2012 CA55 Near-Earth Flyby (0.057 AU)Mar 30 - Asteroid 5382 McKay Closest Approach To Earth (1.393 AU)Mar 30 - Asteroid 7536 Fahrenheit Closest Approach To Earth (1.981 AU)Mar 30 - Asteroid 13688 Oklahoma Closest Approach To Earth (2.394 AU)Mar 30 - Asteroid 41488 Sinbad Closest Approach To Earth (2.892 AU)

JPL Space Calendar

Food for ThoughtThe Moon joins Venus and Jupiter

Space Image of the Week