Space News Update- October 28, 2011 -

In the News

Story 1: First Progress Launch Since Accident Looms Large for Space Station Program

Story 2: Faraway Eris is Pluto's Twin

Story 3: Astronomers Pin Down Galaxy Collision Rate

 Departments

The Night SkyISS Sighting Opportunities

Space CalendarNASA-TV Highlights

Food for ThoughtSpace Image of the Week

First Progress Launch Since Accident Looms Large for Space

Station Program

Faraway Eris is Pluto's Twin

Astronomers Pin Down Galaxy Collision Rate

The Night SkyFriday, Oct. 28· In bright twilight, look for the thin waxing crescent Moon very low in the southwest. Can you spot Venus to its lower right, as shown here? They're separated by roughly a fist-width at arm's length (depending on your longitude). Use binoculars to try for much fainter Antares and Mercury.· Jupiter is at opposition tonight, opposite the Sun as seen from Earth. Like last year's opposition, this is an unusually close one; see Jupiter under "This Week's Planet Roundup" below.

Saturday, Oct. 29· The crescent Moon is higher and easier to spot now after sunset than it was yesterday. The moon's round limb points to the lower right, toward very low Venus and Mercury as shown here. 

Sunday, Oct. 30Comet Garradd continues glowing at 6th magnitude just as predicted. Find it with binoculars or a telescope near the head of Hercules in the western sky right dark, using our finder chart online or in the November Sky & Telescope, page 52.If you're in the Eastern time zone, you'll find Algol at its minimum brightness at nightfall. Farther west, Algol will already be rebrightening when the sky gets dark.

Monday, Oct. 31Halloween evening finds the crescent Moon lowering in the southwest and bright Jupiter rising higher in the east. Perfect for setting up your telescope in the driveway and giving looks to visiting trick-or-treaters! In this way are new astronomers sometimes made.

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 Oct 28/07:31 PM 1 13 10 above NNW 13 above NISS Sat Oct 29/06:34 PM 1 10 10 above N 10 above NNEISS Sat Oct 29/08:09 PM < 1 12 10 above NNW 12 above NNWISS Sun Oct 30/07:13 PM 2 17 10 above NNW 17 above NNEISS Mon Oct 31/07:51 PM 2 27 10 above NW 27 above NNWISS Fri Oct 28/07:31 PM 1 13 10 above NNW 13 above N

NASA-TV Highlights(all times Eastern Daylight Time)

Watch NASA TV on the Net by going to NASA website

October 30, Sunday6 a.m. - ISS Progress 45 Launch Coverage from Baikonur, Kazakhstan (launch is scheduled at 6:11 a.m.) - JSC (All Channels) October 31, Monday12 p.m. - Video File of the ISS Expedition 29/30 Crew Departure for Baikonur, Kazakhstan Ceremony at Star City, Russia - JSC (Public, HD and Media Channels)

Space CalendarOct 28 - [Oct 28] NPP/ RAX-2/DICE 1 & 2/ Aubiesat 1/ MCubed/ E1P F2 Delta 2 Launch, SuccessfulOct 28 - Cassini, Orbital Trim Maneuver #297 (OTM-297)Oct 28 - Moon Occults MercuryOct 28 - [Oct 26] Asteroid 2011 UN91 Near-Earth Flyby (0.028 AU)Oct 28 - Asteroid 4150 Starr Closest Approach To Earth (1.126 AU)Oct 28 - 40th Anniversary (1971), Prospero Launch (Great Britian's First Space Launch)Oct 29 - Jupiter At OppositionOct 29 - Asteroid 2011 LC19 Near-Earth Flyby (0.058 AU)Oct 29 - Kuiper Belt Object 55637 (2002 UX25) At Opposition (40.454 AU)Oct 29 - 20th Anniversary (1991), Galileo, Asteroid Gaspra FlybyOct 30 - [Oct 23] Progress M-13M/ Chibis-M Soyuz U Launch (International Space Station 45P)Oct 30 - [Oct 25] Asteroid 2011 UU63 Near-Earth Flyby (0.033 AU)Oct 30 - Asteroid 2023 Asaph Closest Approach To Earth (1.319 AU)Oct 30 - Asteroid 1941 Wild Closest Approach To Earth (1.990 AU)Oct 30 - 30th Anniversary (1981), Venera 13 Launch (USSR Venus Lander/Flyby Mission)Oct 31 - [Oct 24] Shenzhou 8 CZ-2F/H Launch (Unmanned China Launch to Tian Gong 1 Space Station)Oct 31 - Comet C/2011 L2 (McNaught) Perihelion (1.965 AU)Oct 31 - Asteroid 2010 VU98 Near-Earth Flyby (0.046 AU)Oct 31 - Asteroid 214476 Stephencolbert Closest Approach To Earth (2.215 AU)Oct 31 - Kuiper Belt Object 84522 (2002 TC302) At Opposition (45.071 AU)Oct 31 - 75th Anniversary (1936), 1st Successful Rocket Engine Test in Pasadena, California (JPL's Beginnings)

Johann Gottfried Galle

Food for Thought

NASA Planetary Science Not Being Killed, Says NASA Official

Space Image of the Week

Spooky, Giant Prominence Haunts the Sun    

Credit: Monty Leventhal, OAM