Space News Update- July 1, 2011-

In the News

Story 1: Final Polishing Complete on Remaining Twelve Webb Mirrors

Story 2:NASA's Spitzer Finds Distant Galaxies Grazed On Gas

Story 3: Integral Challenges Physics Beyond Einstein

 Departments

The Night SkyISS Sighting Opportunities

Space CalendarNASA-TV Highlights

Food for ThoughtSpace Image of the Week

Final Polishing Complete on Remaining Twelve Webb Mirrors

NASA's Spitzer Finds Distant Galaxies Grazed On Gas

Integral Challenges Physics Beyond Einstein

The Night Sky

Friday, July 1 · A small telescope shows Saturn's largest moon, Titan, about four ring-lengths east of the planet this evening and tomorrow evening. They're a little less than 3 arcminutes apart. Porrima is about 30 arcminutes to Saturn's northwest. And a little closer to Saturn's northeast is a 6th-magnitude yellow star. · New Moon (exact at 4:54 a.m. EDT). A slight partial eclipse of the Sun is theoretically visible just above the horizon for a small section of the stormy winter ocean off Antarctica. This is an eclipse that not a single human is likely to see, and probably not even penguins or albatrosses.

Saturday, July 2 · Mercury is becoming better placed for observers at mid-northern latitudes; look low above the west to west-northwest horizon as the glow of sunset fades, as shown below. This evening, can you spot the thin crescent Moon below Mercury about a half hour after sunset? Bring binoculars.

The Night Sky

Sunday, July 3 · In twilight, look well to the right of the crescent Moon for Mercury, as shown above. · Saturn is at quadrature, 90° east of the Sun. · If you have a dark enough sky, the Milky Way now forms a magnificent arch high across the whole eastern sky after nightfall is complete. It runs all the way from below Cassiopeia in the north-northeast, up and across Cygnus and the Summer Triangle in the east, and down past the spout of the Sagittarius Teapot in the south.

Monday, July 4 · Regulus is upper right of the Moon in twilight, as shown above. · Watching fireworks this evening? While you're waiting for them to start, point out some sky sights to family and friends. In addition to the Moon and Regulus (see previous item), Saturn and Spica shine higher in the southwest, far to the Moon's upper left; Saturn is the one on the right. Very high above them is brighter Arcturus. Bright Vega is very high in the east. And the fire-colored supergiant Antares is the brightest star lower in the south. · Earth is at aphelion, its farthest from the Sun for the year — just one part in 30 farther than at perihelion in January.

ISS Sighting Opportunities

SATELLITE LOCAL DURATIONMAX ELEV

APPROACH DEPARTURE

DATE/TIME (MIN) (DEG) (DEG-DIR) (DEG-DIR)

ISS Fri Jul 01/09:24 PM 4 7535 above WNW

15 above SE

ISS Sat Jul 02/10:02 PM 3 16 10 above W13 above SSW

ISS Sun Jul 03/09:05 PM 4 35 24 above W11 above SSE

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

For Denver:

NASA-TV Highlights

July 1, Friday6 a.m. – Replay of STS-135 Crew News Conference - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)7 a.m. – Replay of STS-135/ULF-7 Spacewalk Overview Briefing - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)8 a.m. – Replay of (NASA) Agency Honor Awards Ceremony – HQ (Public and HD Channels)9 a.m. – Replay of STS-135 Crew News Conference – HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)10 a.m. – Replay of STS-135/ULF-7 Spacewalk Overview Briefing - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)1 p.m. – NASA Administrator Charles Bolden Speaks at the National Press Club – HQ (All Channels)8 p.m. – NASA Television Special Presentation – The Shuttle – A Documentary – HQ (All Channels) July 4, Monday2:45 p.m. - STS-135 Crew Arrival – HQ (All Channels)

(all times Eastern)

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

Space Calendar

Jul 01 - [Jun 24] Partial Solar Eclipse, Visible in Indian Ocean Jul 01 - Astra 1N/ B-Sat 3C (JC-Sat 110R) Ariane 5 Launch Jul 01 - Comet 252P/LINEAR Closest Approach To Earth (1.814 AU) Jul 01 - Asteroid 4 Vesta Occults TYC 6365-01035-1 (10.4 Magnitude Star) Jul 01 - Asteroid 2002 EM7 Near-Earth Flyby (0.028 AU) Jul 01 - Asteroid 5608 Olmos Closest Approach To Earth (1.511 AU) Jul 01 - Asteroid 3267 Glo Closest Approach To Earth (1.829 AU) Jul 01 - Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum's 35th Birthday (1976) Jul 02 - Asteroid 2001 QP181 Near-Earth Flyby (0.090 AU) Jul 02 - Asteroid 3353 Jarvis Closest Approach To Earth (0.764 AU) Jul 03 - Asteroid 27552 (2000 JZ32) Occults HIP 89851 (5.4 Magnitude Star) Jul 03 - Asteroid 5841 Stone Closest Approach To Earth (1.085 AU) Jul 03 - Asteroid 3852 Glennford Closest Approach To Earth (2.160 AU) Jul 04 - Earth At Aphelion (1.017 AU From Sun) Jul 04 - Comet 123P/West-Hartley Perihelion (2.129 AU) Jul 04 - Asteroid 21 Lutetia At Opposition (9.4 Magnitude)

JPL Space Calendar

Food for Thought

Ask an Expert: Join NASA in Measuring an Asteroid

Space Image of the Week

Image Credit: E. Hubble, NASA, ESA, R. Gendler, Z. Levay and the Hubble Heritage Team

VAR!