Space News Update- January 11, 2013 -

In the News

Story 1: Life Possible on Extrasolar Moons

Story 2:NASA, ESA Telescopes Find Evidence for Asteroid Belt Around Vega

Story 3: Spacetime: A Smoother Brew Than We Knew

Departments

The Night SkyISS Sighting Opportunities

NASA-TV HighlightsSpace CalendarFood for Thought

Space Image of the Week

Life Possible on Extrasolar Moons

NASA, ESA Telescopes Find Evidence for Asteroid Belt Around

Vega

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Spacetime: A Smoother Brew Than We Knew

The Night Sky

Friday, January 11 · In early evening at this time of year, the Great Square of Pegasus balances on one corner high in the west. The vast Andromeda-Pegasus constellation complex runs all the way from near the zenith (Andromeda's foot) down through the Great Square (Pegasus's body) to low in the west (Pegasus's nose).  Saturday, January 12 · As twilight turns to night, look low in the northwest for Vega. To its upper left, by two or three fists at arm's length, shines Deneb. Deneb is the head of the big Northern Cross, which is now swinging down and soon will stand nearly upright on the northwest horizon (as seen from mid-northern latitudes).

Sunday, January 13 · In twilight this evening, look below the waxing crescent Moon in the west to see if you can still spot faint little Mars, as shown here. Mars has been hanging in there in twilight ever since August (!) but is now gradually creeping lower week by week.

Monday, January 14 · Before moonlight returns in force to wash out low-surface-brightness telescopic objects, try tonight for the Bubble and Pac-Man Nebulae in Cassiopeia using Ken Hewitt-White's "Hot Gas in Cass" article with finder chart and photos in the January Sky & Telescope, page 65.

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 Sat Jan 12/05:57 AM 5 86 23 above SW 11 above NE

ISS Sun Jan 13/05:09 AM 2 33 33 above E 11 above ENE

ISS Sun Jan 13/06:43 AM 5 24 11 above W 10 above NNE

ISS Mon Jan 14/05:55 AM 3 37 37 above NW 11 above NE

NASA-TV Highlights

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

No Special Programming

Space Calendar

Jan 11 - [Jan 07] Asteroid 2013 AB4 Near-Earth Flyby (0.017 AU) Jan 11 - Asteroid 163800 Richardnorton Closest Approach To Earth (1.418 AU) Jan 11 - Asteroid 1777 Gehrels Closest Approach To Earth (1.593 AU) Jan 11 - Asteroid 11947 Kimclijsters Closest Approach To Earth (2.794 AU) Jan 12 - Asteroid 6336 Dodo Closest Approach To Earth (1.492 AU) Jan 12 - Asteroid 214476 Stephencolbert Closest Approach To Earth (2.393 AU) Jan 13 - Asteroid 5891 Gehrig Closest Approach To Earth (1.286 AU) Jan 13 - Asteroid 12490 Leiden Closest Approach To Earth (2.269 AU) Jan 14 - Asteroid 13188 Okinawa Closest Approach To Earth (1.191 AU) Jan 14 - Asteroid 1913 Sekanina Closest Approach To Earth (1.842 AU) Jan 14 - Kuiper Belt Object 20000 Varuna At Opposition (42.669 AU) Jan 14 - 5th Anniversary (2008), MESSENGER, 1st Mercury Flyby

JPL Space Calendar

Messenger at Mercury

Food for Thought

The Self-Assembling Particles That Come From InSPACE e

Space Image of the Week

Image Credit:  NASA/JPL-Caltech/DSS