Space News Update- February 24, 2012 -

In the News

Story 1: NASA's Spitzer Finds Solid Buckyballs in Space

Story 2:Galaxy May Swarm with 'Nomad Planets'

Story 3: GJ 1214b: A Steam-Bath World

 Departments

The Night SkyISS Sighting Opportunities

Space CalendarNASA-TV Highlights

Food for ThoughtSpace Image of the Week

NASA's Spitzer Finds Solid Buckyballs in Space

Galaxy May Swarm with 'Nomad Planets'

GJ 1214b: A Steam-Bath World

The Night SkyFriday, February 24 · Jupiter and Venus form a line pointing down to the crescent Moon during and after twilight, as shown here. · Comet Garradd, still 6th or 7th magnitude, is crossing the back of Draco, high in the sky late at night and in the early morning hours. See the article and chart in the March Sky & Telescope, page 60, or online. Saturday, February 25 · The crescent Moon pairs spectacularly with Venus during and after twilight! They're just 3° apart at the time of twilight for eastern North America, 4° apart during twilight in the West. Jupiter looks down on them from 14° to Venus's upper left. · This Moon-Venus pairing offers a fine chance to spot Venus earlier during the day. Have you ever seen Venus in a daytime blue sky? Use our guide to see precisely where to look in late afternoon. You may be surprised at how easily Venus pops out!

The Night Sky

Sunday, February 26 · This evening the crescent Moon pairs with Jupiter, and it's Venus's turn to be the spectator. · The Beehive Cluster in Cancer is as easy and well-known binocular target high in the late-winter sky. Farther and fainter is another cluster in Cancer, M67, an interesting and not-hard binocular catch. See Gary Seronik's Binocular Highlight column and chart (and the all-sky constellation map for finding Cancer) in the March Sky & Telescope, page 45. Monday, February 27 · See the six or seven brightest night objects at once. The last few days of February and first few days of March offer a rare chance for people at mid-northern latitudes to see at least a half dozen of the night sky's brightest objects simultaneously, 30 to 60 minutes after sunset. In order of brightness these are the Moon, Venus, Jupiter, Sirius, Mars, Mercury, and (for southerners) Canopus. See our article, with pictures.

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:

For Denver: No ISS Sighting OpportunitiesFor Denver: No ISS Sighting Opportunities

ISS Fri Feb 24/07:35 PM < 1 15 11 above NNW 15 above NNW

ISS Sat Feb 25/06:38 PM 3 14 10 above NNW 12 above NE

ISS Sat Feb 25/08:13 PM < 1 10 10 above NW 10 above NW

ISS Sun Feb 26/07:16 PM 2 30 10 above NW 30 above NNE

ISS Mon Feb 27/06:20 PM 4 19 11 above NNW 10 above ENE

ISS Mon Feb 27/07:56 PM < 1 24 19 above WNW 24 above WNW

NASA-TV Highlights(all times Eastern Daylight Time)

Watch NASA TV on the Net by going to NASA website

February 24, Friday1 p.m., 9 p.m. - Replay of NASA Future Forum -- Inspiration and Education Panel - Building the Innovators for Tomorrow - HQ (Public and Education Channels)2:25 p.m., 10:25 p.m. - Friendship 7 - 50th Anniversary of Americans in Orbit - HQ (Public and Education Channels)4 p.m. - Replay of NASA Future Forum -- Importance of Technology, Science and Innovation for Our Economic Future - HQ (Public and Education Channels)7 p.m., 11 p.m. - Replay of ISS Update (2/24) - HQ (All Channels)8 p.m. - Digital Learning Network ISS Mission Control Event - HQ (All Channels) February 25, Saturday8 a.m., 1:30 p.m. - Replay of NASA Future Forum -- Inspiration and Education Panel - Building the Innovators for Tomorrow - HQ (Public and Education Channels)9:20 a.m. - Replay of NASA Future Forum -- Transferring and Commercializing Technology to Benefit Our Lives and Our Economy - HQ (Public and Education Channels)10:25 a.m., 5 p.m., 9:25 p.m. - Friendship 7 – 50th Anniversary of Americans in Orbit - HQ (Public and Education Channels)1 p.m. - Digital Learning Network ISS Mission Control Event - HQ (All Channels)5:30 p.m. - NASA Television Video - HQ (Public and Media Channels)7 p.m., 11 p.m. - Replay of ISS Update (2/23) - HQ (All Channels)8 p.m. - Replay of NASA Future Forum -- Importance of Technology, Science and Innovation for Our Economic Future - HQ (Public and Education Channels)8 p.m. - NASA Television Video - HQ (Media Channel)10 p.m. - Replay of NASA Future Forum - Day I Opening - HQ (All Channels)

NASA-TV Highlights(all times Eastern Daylight Time)

Watch NASA TV on the Net by going to NASA website

 February 26, Sunday7 a.m. - Replay of ISS Update (2/22) - HQ (All Channels)8 a.m. - Replay of ISS Update (2/23) - HQ (All Channels)9 a.m., 11 a.m., 7 p.m., 11 p.m. - Replay of ISS Update (2/24) - HQ (All Channels)10 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 2:25 p.m., 10:25 p.m. - Friendship 7 - 50th Anniversary of Americans in Orbit - HQ (Public and Education Channels)1 p.m., 9 p.m. - Replay of NASA Future Forum -- Inspiration and Education Panel - Building the Innovators for Tomorrow - HQ (Public and Education Channels)4 p.m. - Replay of NASA Future Forum -- Importance of Technology, Science and Innovation for Our Economic Future - HQ (Public and Education Channels)8 p.m. - Digital Learning Network ISS Mission Control Event - HQ (All Channels) February 27, Monday10:35 a.m. - ISS Expedition 30 In-Flight Interviews with KGO-TV, San Francisco and ABC Radio Network - JSC (Public and Media Channels)

Space CalendarFeb 24 - [Feb 20] Mobile User Objective System (MUOS 1) Atlas 5 Launch Feb 24 - [Feb 21] Asteroid 2012 DY Near-Earth Flyby (0.024 AU) Feb 25 - Beidou 2-G5 (Compass G-5) CZ-3C Launch Feb 25 - [Feb 19] Asteroid 2012 CS46 Near-Earth Flyby (0.007 AU) Feb 25 - Asteroid 2011 YU74 Near-Earth Flyby (0.031 AU) Feb 25 - Asteroid 2012 BH86 Near-Earth Flyby (0.063 AU) Feb 25 - [Feb 19] Asteroid 2012 CO36 Near-Earth Flyby (0.067 AU) Feb 25 - Asteroid 3066 McFadden Closest Approach To Earth (1.833 AU) Feb 25 - Asteroid 5811 Keck Closest Approach To Earth (2.402 AU) Feb 25 - Asteroid 9252 Goddard Closest Approach To Earth (2.608 AU) Feb 25 - 5th Annivesary (2007), Rosetta, Mars Flyby Feb 26 - Comet 105P/Singer Brewster Perihelion (2.051 AU) Feb 26 - Asteroid 2012 BM86 Near-Earth Flyby (0.061 AU) Feb 26 - Asteroid 2010 RF12 Near-Earth Flyby (0.096 AU) Feb 26 - Asteroid 10958 Mont Blanc Closest Approach To Earth (0.997 AU) Feb 26 - Asteroid 8444 Popovich Closest Approach To Earth (1.885 AU) Feb 26 - Asteroid 84882 Table Mountain Closest Approach To Earth (2.260 AU) Feb 27 - Asteroid 4031 Mueller Closest Approach To Earth (0.946 AU) Feb 27 - Asteroid 1776 Kuiper Closest Approach To Earth (2.084 AU) Feb 27 - Asteroid 5102 Benfranklin Closest Approach To Earth (2.260 AU) Feb 27 - Bernard Lyot's 115th Birthday (1897)

Johann Gottfried GalleWilhelm Beer

Rosetta orbiter (foreground) and lander

Food for ThoughtFlorida workforce stands ready for Orion assembly

Space Image of the WeekPreview of a Forthcoming Supernova

Image Credit: ESA/NASA