Space News Update- February 21, 2014 -

In the News

Story 1: NuSTAR sheds light on supernova mechanisms

Story 2: Wheel concerns prompt new route for Mars rover

Story 3: Hubble Watches Stars' Clockwork Motion In Nearby Galaxy

 Departments

The Night SkyISS Sighting Opportunities

Space CalendarNASA-TV Highlights

Food for ThoughtSpace Image of the Week

NuSTAR sheds light on supernova mechanisms

Wheel concerns prompt new route for Mars rover

Hubble Watches Stars' Clockwork Motion In Nearby Galaxy

The Night Sky

Sunday, February 23 The asteroid 2 Pallas, barely past opposition, is a few degrees southeast of Alphard in Hydra. It remains at magnitude 7.0 all week as it creeps northward, visible in binoculars and small telescopes.

Monday, February 24 During dawn on Tuesday the 25th, the waning crescent Moon shines upper right of Venus in the southeast.

Tuesday, February 25 During dawn on Wednesday the 26th, Venus shines upper right of the waning Moon low in the southeast, as shown here. At the time of dawn in the Americas they appear closer together than they did on Tuesday morning.Several hours earlier, the Moon passes right across — occults — Venus for central and western Africa, India, and parts of China and Southeast Asia (at roughly 5h Universal Time February 26 th).

Sky & Telescope

Friday, February 21 Capella passes closest to straight overhead (for skywatchers at mid-northern latitudes) around 7 p.m. now, depending on how far east or west you are in your time zone. Whenever Capella crosses highest overhead, Rigel in Orion's leading foot marks due south over your landscape.

Saturn glows to the right of the Moon as dawn begins on Saturday morning the 22nd, as shown below. And look lower left of the Moon for Antares. 

Saturday, February 22 This year's big, bright "Winter Diamond" — Jupiter at the top, Sirius at the bottom, and Procyon and Betelgeuse forming the two side corners — stands upright in the south around 8 or 9 p.m. now.

ISS Sighting Opportunities

Sighting information for other cities can be found at NASA’s Satellite Sighting Information

ISS For Denver:

Date Visible Max Height Appears Disappears

Fri Feb 21, 6:28 PM 4 min 21° 11 above NNW 14 above ENE

Fri Feb 21, 8:05 PM < 1 min 18° 15 above WNW 18 above WNW

Sat Feb 22, 7:15 PM 3 min 78° 10 above NW 77 above ENE

Sun Feb 23, 6:26

PM

6 min 44° 10 above NW 14 above ESE

Sun Feb 23, 8:05

PM

< 1 min 16° 15 above W 16 above WSW

Mon Feb 24, 7:16

PM

3 min 34° 26 above W 21 above S

Tue Feb 25, 6:27

PM

5 min 65° 27 above WNW 11 above SE

NASA-TV Highlights

(all times Eastern Daylight Time)

February 25, Tuesday1:35 p.m. - ISS Expedition 38 In-Flight Interview with WLS Radio, Chicago - JSC (All Channels)  

Watch NASA TV online by going to the NASA website

Space Calendar

JPL Space Calendar

Feb 21 - Moon Occults SaturnFeb 21 - Comet C/2012 X1 (LINEAR) Perihelion (1.599 AU)Feb 21 - Comet 168P/Hergenrother At Opposition (3.262 AU)Feb 21 - Comet C/2013 B2 (Catalina) Closest Approach To Earth (3.338 AU)Feb 21 - Comet P/2011 R3 (Novichonok-Gerke) At Opposition (3.630)Feb 21 - Asteroid 2 Pallas Occults TYC 5482-00940-1 (9.4 Magnitude Star)Feb 21 - Asteroid 1995 CR Near-Earth Flyby (0.020 AU)Feb 21 - Asteroid 2012 DY43 Near-Earth Flyby (0.040 AU)Feb 21 - Asteroid 1278 Kenya Closest Approach To Earth (2.067 AU)Feb 22 - Asteroid 4464 Vulcano Closest Approach To Earth (1.148 AU)Feb 22 - Asteroid 2874 Jim Young Closest Approach To Earth (1.356 AU)Feb 22 - Asteroid 35352 Texas Closest Approach To Earth (1.846 AU)Feb 22 - Asteroid 6456 Golombek Closest Approach To Earth (1.909 AU)Feb 22 - Asteroid 10792 Ecuador Closest Approach To Earth (2.362 AU)Feb 23 - Comet 80P/Peters-Hartley Closest Approach To Earth (2.114 AU)Feb 23 - Comet P/2007 T2 (Kowalski) At Opposition (2.845 AU)Feb 23 - Kuiper Belt Object 90482 Orcus At Opposition (47.079 AU)Feb 24 - Asteroid 2014 CR Near-Earth Flyby (0.021 AU)Feb 24 - Asteroid 4768 Hartley Closest Approach To Earth (2.923 AU)Feb 24 - 45th Anniversary (1969), Mariner 6 Launch (Mars Flyby Mission)Feb 24 - 65th Anniversary (1949), Bumper WAC LaunchFeb 25 - Uragan-M #42 Soyuz-2-1b Fregat-M LaunchFeb 25 - Comet 266P/Christensen At Opposition (1.601 AU)Feb 25 - Comet P/1996 R2 (Lagerkvist) At Opposition (3.541 AU)Feb 25 - Comet 242P/Spahr At Opposition (3.975 AU)Feb 25 - Asteroid 26715 South Dakota Closest Approach To Earth (1.739 AU)Feb 25 - Asteroid 247553 Berndpauli Closest Approach To Earth (3.509 AU)Feb 26 - MAVEN, Trajectory Correction Maneuver #2 (TCM-2)Feb 26 - Moon Occults VenusFeb 26 - Comet 277P/LINEAR At Opposition (1.925 AU)Feb 26 - Comet 88P/Howell At Opposition (2.545 AU)Feb 26 - Comet 10P/Tempel At Opposition (3.276 AU)Feb 26 - Comet P/2006 F1 (Kowalski) At Opposition (4.176 AU)Feb 26 - Asteroid 2 Pallas At Opposition (6.3 Magnitude)Feb 26 - Asteroid 367943 Duende Closest Approach To Earth (0.767 AU)Feb 26 - Asteroid 4716 Urey Closest Approach To Earth (1.839 AU)Feb 26 - Asteroid 2597 Arthur Closest Approach To Earth (2.228 AU)

Food for Thought

We ‘Hype’ Alien World Findings Amid Little Data, Exoplanet Scientist Says

Space Image of the Week

Speedster Star Shocks the Galaxy Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech