Space News Update- August 6, 2012-

In the News

Story 1: NASA Lands Car-Size Rover Beside Martian Mountain

Story 2: Signs Changing Fast for Voyager at Solar System Edge

Story 3: Exploding Star May Have Sparked Formation of Our Solar System

 Departments

The Night SkyISS Sighting Opportunities

Space CalendarNASA-TV Highlights

Food for ThoughtSpace Image of the Week

NASA Lands Car-Size Rover Beside Martian Mountain

Signs Changing Fast for Voyager at Solar System Edge

Exploding Star May Have Sparked Formation of Our Solar System

The Night SkyMonday, August 6 · By mid-evening this week, W-shaped Cassiopeia rises as high in the north-northeast as the bowl of the Big Dipper has sunk in the north-northwest.

Tuesday, August 7 · This evening the changing triangle of Saturn, Spica, and Mars, low in the west-southwest as twilight fades, is almost equilateral: about 4½° on a side.

Wednesday, August 8 · The two brightest stars of summer are Vega, nearly overhead after dark (for skywatchers at mid-northern latitudes), and Arcturus in the west. Look a third of the way from Arcturus to Vega for the dim semicircle of Corona Borealis, the Northern Crown. Look two thirds of the way for the dim Keystone of Hercules, about the same size.

· Thursday, August 9 · Last-quarter Moon (exact at 2:55 p.m. EDT). The lopsided-looking Moon rises around midnight with the Pleiades to its left.

Friday, August 10 · The waning Moon forms a tight triangle with Jupiter and fainter Aldebaran after they rise about 1 or 2 a.m. Saturday morning. Bright Venus rises far to their lower left around 3 a.m. (depending on where you live).

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 Mon Aug 06/03:12 AM 4 19 12 above NNW 10 above ENE

ISS Mon Aug 06/04:47 AM 6 70 10 above WNW 10 above SE

ISS Mon Aug 06/09:26 PM 6 52 10 above SW 11 above ENE

ISS Mon Aug 06/11:03 PM 2 20 10 above WNW 20 above NW

ISS Tue Aug 07/03:56 AM 4 57 41 above NNW 10 above ESE

ISS Tue Aug 07/05:32 AM 3 14 10 above W 10 above SSW

ISS Tue Aug 07/08:33 PM 5 25 11 above S 11 above ENE

ISS Tue Aug 07/10:09 PM 6 33 12 above W 10 above NE

ISS Wed Aug 08/04:42 AM 1 16 16 above S 10 above SSE

ISS Wed Aug 08/09:16 PM 6 61 10 above WSW 10 above NE

ISS Wed Aug 08/10:56 PM 2 14 14 above NNW 10 above NNE

ISS Thu Aug 09/08:25 PM 4 65 46 above SSW 12 above ENE

ISS Thu Aug 09/10:03 PM 2 19 19 above NNW 11 above NNE

ISS Fri Aug 10/09:09 PM 3 29 29 above NW 11 above NNE

ISS Fri Aug 10/10:46 PM 1 11 11 above NNW 10 above N

NASA-TV HighlightsAugust 6, MondayNET - 2:15 a.m. - Mars Science Laboratory/Curiosity Rover Post-Landing News Conference - JPL 3:30 - 4:30 a.m. - Mars Science Laboratory/Curiosity Rover Landing Coverage and Commentary - Commentary #2 - (First Post-Landing Communication Session/Odyssey Downlink) - JPL (All Channels)6 - 10 a.m. - Live Satellite Post Landing Interviews on the Mars Science Laboratory/Curiosity Rover Mission - JPL (Public and Media Channels)12 p.m. - Mars Science Laboratory/Curiosity Rover Post-Landing News Briefing - Landing Recap and Sol 1 Outlook - JPL (All Channels)7 p.m. - Mars Science Laboratory/Curiosity Rover Post-Landing News Briefing - Sol 1 Mid-Day Update - JPL

August 7, Tuesday1 p.m. - Mars Science Laboratory/Curiosity Rover Post-Landing News Briefing - Sol 2 Update - JPL

August 8, Wednesday9:55 a.m. - ISS Expedition 32 In-Flight Interviews with WAPA-TV, San Juan, Puerto Rico and Univision’s “Despierta America” Program - JSC (Public and Media Channels)1 p.m. - Mars Science Laboratory/Curiosity Rover Post-Landing News Briefing - Sol 3 Update - JPL

August 9, Thursday9 a.m. - ISS Expedition 32 In-Flight Interview for JAXA with the “Young Astronauts Club” in Tokyo - JSC 1 p.m. - Mars Science Laboratory/Curiosity Rover Post-Landing News Briefing - Sol 4 Update - JPL

August 10, Friday1 p.m. - Mars Science Laboratory/Curiosity Rover Post-Landing News Briefing - Sol 5 Update - JPL

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

Space Calendar· Aug 06 - Telcom 3/ Express MD-2 Proton M-Briz M Launch · Aug 06 - Southern Iota Aquarids Meteor Shower Peak · Aug 06 - Asteroid 2006 EC Near-Earth Flyby (0.093 AU) · Aug 06 - Asteroid 73520 Boslough Closest Approach To Earth (1.221 AU) · Aug 07 - Asteroid 11889 (1991 AH2) Occults HIP 93118 (6.9 Magnitude Star) · Aug 07 - Asteroid 2006 MV1 Near-Earth Flyby (0.061 AU) · Aug 08 - Cassini, Orbital Trim Maneuver #330 (OTM-330) · Aug 08 - Comet C/2011 R1 (McNaught) Closest Approach To Earth (2.034 AU) · Aug 08 - Asteroid 25930 Spielberg Closest Approach To Earth (0.867 AU) · Aug 08 - Asteroid 5053 Chladni Closest Approach To Earth (1.742 AU) · Aug 08 - 35th Anniversary (1977), Salyut 5 Space Station Burnup · Aug 09 - Comet C/2011 Q1 (PANSTARRS) Closest Approach To Earth (6.312 AU) · Aug 09 - Asteroid 2009 BW2 Near-Earth Flyby (0.034 AU) · Aug 09 - Asteroid 2004 SC56 Near-Earth Flyby (0.081 AU) · Aug 09 - Asteroid 8925 Boattini Closest Approach To Earth (1.140 AU) · Aug 09 - Asteroid 5535 Annefrank Closest Approach To Earth (1.338 AU) · Aug 09 - Asteroid 5143 Heracles Closest Approach To Earth (1.545 AU) · Aug 09 - Asteroid 4701 Milani Closest Approach To Earth (1.578 AU) · Aug 09 - Asteroid 25137 Seansolomon Closest Approach To Earth (1.922 AU) · Aug 09 - Asteroid 1877 Marsden Closest Approach To Earth (2.148 AU) · Aug 10 - Asteroid 8299 Tealeoni Closest Approach To Earth (1.075 AU) · Aug 10 - Asteroid 4758 Hermitage Closest Approach To Earth (1.707 AU) · Aug 10 - 20th Anniversary (1992), TOPEX/Poseidon Launch · Aug 10 - 20th Anniversary (1992), Kitsat A Launch (1st South Korean Satellite) · Aug 10 - 40th Anniversary (1972), Daylight Fireball (Utah, Canada)

JPL Space Calendar

Food for ThoughtRed is the new Black

Space Image of the Week

Curiosity's Surroundings