Space News Update- October 17 - 21, 2011 -

In the News

Story 1: Virgin Galactic's Private Spaceship Makes Safe Landing After Tense Test Flight

Story 2:Is M85 Missing a Black Hole?

Story 3: Halley's Comet to Put on Meteor Show

 Departments

The Night SkyISS Sighting Opportunities

Space CalendarNASA-TV Highlights

Food for ThoughtSpace Image of the Week

Virgin Galactic's Private Spaceship Makes Safe Landing

After Tense Test Flight

Is M85 Missing a Black Hole?

Halley's Comet to Put on Meteor Show

The Night SkyMonday, Oct. 17This is the time of year when the Little Dipper extends left from Polaris during evening, "dumping water" into the bowl of the Big Dipper, which lies far below it in the north-northwest.  Tuesday, Oct. 18Jupiter shines brightly in the east during evening. Capella shines a little less brightly in the northeast, somewhat lower (depending on your latitude). These are the two brightest lights in the whole eastern side of the sky. Now find the midpoint between them. A little below that point are the Pleiades.

Wednesday, Oct. 19Last-quarter Moon (exact at 11:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time). The Moon rises around midnight local time, below Gemini and left of Procyon. 

 

 Thursday, Oct. 20Before and during dawn Friday morning, look for Mars to the left of the Moon, as shown above. Friday, Oct. 21The Moon is near Regulus before and during dawn Saturday morning, as shown above. The modest Orionid meteor shower should peak in the early-morning hours of Saturday. Some Orionids are visible for several mornings before and after.

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 Mon Oct 17/06:49 PM 6 35 10 above SSW 10 above ENE

ISS Mon Oct 17/08:26 PM < 1 20 18 above WNW 20 above WNW

ISS Tue Oct 18/07:28 PM 3 48 33 above W 22 above NNE

ISS Wed Oct 19/08:06 PM 1 18 15 above NW 18 above NNW

ISS Thu Oct 20/07:09 PM 4 28 25 above WNW 10 above NE

ISS Fri Oct 21/07:47 PM 2 13 10 above NW 13 above N

NASA-TV Highlights

October 19, Wednesday10:20 a.m. - ISS Expedition 29 In-Flight Interviews with Space.com and ABC Radio Network - JSC (Public, HD and Media Channels) October 21, Friday10:30 a.m. - ISS Expedition 29 In-Flight Educational Event with the Carver High School in Birmingham, AL - JSC (All Channels)3:30 p.m. - NEEMO B-Roll Feed - JSC (Public, HD and Media Channels)4 - 5 p.m. - Live interviews with the NEEMO 15 crew from the Aquarius Underwater Habitat at Key Largo, FL - JSC (Public, HD and Media Channels)

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

Space Calendar

Oct 17 - Comet C/2010 X1 (Elenin) Closest Approach To Earth (0.233 AU)Oct 17 - Comet P/1996 R2 (Lagerkvist) Perihelion (2.612 AU)Oct 17 - Asteroid 2009 TM8 Near-Earth Flyby (0.002 AU)Oct 18 - Asteroid 11132 Horne Occults HIP 10032 (6.1 Magnitude Star)Oct 18 - Asteroid 2009 UC Near-Earth Flyby (0.057 AU)Oct 18 - Asteroid 2266 Tchaikovsky Closest Approach To Earth (1.998 AU)Oct 19 -[Oct 17] Cassini, Enceladus FlybyOct 19 - ViaSat 1 Proton M-Briz M LaunchOct 19 - Cassini, Distant Flyby of TelestoOct 19 - Comet 49P/Arend-Rigaux Perihelion (1.424 AU)Oct 19 - Comet 171P/Spahr Closest Approach To Earth (1.606 AU)Oct 19 - Asteroid 433 Eros Occults 2UCAC 47417466 (12.6 Magnitude Star)Oct 19 - Asteroid 469 Argentina Closest Approach To Earth (2.660 AU)Oct 20 - Galileo IOV 1 & 2 Soyuz 2-1b-Fregat LaunchOct 20 - Cassini, Orbital Trim Maneuver #296 (OTM-296)Oct 20 - Asteroid 2011 SL189 Near-Earth Flyby (0.074 AU)Oct 20 - Asteroid 2011 SO32 Near-Earth Flyby (0.084 AU)Oct 20 - Asteroid 2118 Flagstaff Closest Approach To Earth (1.138 AU)Oct 21 - Orionids Meteor Shower PeakOct 21 - Kuiper Belt Object 15760 (1992 QB1) At Opposition (40.132 AU) 

JPL Space Calendar

Food for ThoughtComing in 2012: Our Last Transit of Venus

 

Space Image of the WeekSunset with the Massive Sun Spot 1302 (Upper left on the Sun) Credit: Adrian Scott