Space News Update- April 18 - 22, 2011 -

In the News

Story 1: Kepler Discovers a Rare Triple Gem

Story 2:Sun's Storm Season Finally Heating Up

Story 3: Antigravity Could Replace Dark Energy as Cause of Universe’s Expansion

 Departments

The Night SkyISS Sighting Opportunities

Space CalendarNASA-TV Highlights

Food for ThoughtSpace Image of the Week

Kepler Discovers a Rare Triple Gem

Sun's Storm Season Finally Heating Up

Antigravity Could Replace Dark Energy as Cause of Universe’s

Expansion

The Night Sky· Monday, April 18 · Vega, the "Summer Star," is now rising in the northeast right around the end of twilight (depending on your latitude). Later in the night as Vega rises higher, look for its dim little constellation Lyra dangling from it toward the lower right. · A dawn challenge! On Tuesday morning, about 15 minutes before your local sunrise time, use binoculars or a wide-field telescope to look 15° lower left of Venus for faint Mars and even fainter Mercury in conjunction, as shown here. Not an easy sighting! Tuesday, April 19 · Have you been keeping an eye on bright Sirius in the southwest, and Orion in the west, around the end of twilight? They're still in view but sinking lower daily. How much longer can you keep them in view? Wednesday, April 20 · Sirius, the Dog Star, shines brightly low in the southwest right after dusk. High above it is Procyon, the Little Dog Star. Very far to Procyon's upper left is Regulus in Leo. Nearly halfway from Procyon to Regulus, look for a dim but distinctive asterism: the head of Hydra, the Sea Serpent. It's about the size of the end of your thumb at arm's length. Thursday, April 21 · A small telescope will always show Titan, Saturn's largest moon. This evening Titan is four ring-lengths to Saturn's west. Look roughly one ring-length to Saturn's northwest for dimmer Rhea and Dione quite close together. Friday, April 22 · The Lyrid meteor shower should peak late tonight, but it's usually quite weak. The best chance to see an occasional Lyrid will be around midnight daylight-saving time, when Lyra is up fairly high but the Moon hasn't yet risen.

ISS Sighting Opportunities

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

For Denver:

SATELLITE LOCAL DURATIONMAX ELEV

APPROACH DEPARTURE

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

ISS Mon Apr 18/08:47 PM 6 85 10 above SW 10 above NE

ISS Tue Apr 19/09:15 PM 3 29 28 above NW 11 above NNE

ISS Wed Apr 20/08:04 PM 3 87 59 above SW 10 above NE

ISS Wed Apr 20/09:40 PM 2 14 14 above NNW 10 above NNE

ISS Thu Apr 21/08:30 PM 2 27 27 above NNW 11 above NNE

ISS Fri Apr 22/08:55 PM 2 14 14 above NNW 10 above NNE

NASA-TV Highlights

April 22, Friday

6:30 a.m. - STS-134 Video B-Roll Feed 7 a.m. - Live Interviews with STS-134 Lead Space Shuttle Flight Director Gary Horlacher

7:30 a.m. - Live Interviews with STS-134 Lead Space Station Flight Director Derek Hassmann

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

Space Calendar

· Apr 18 - Asteroid 2011 GD2 Near-Earth Flyby (0.053 AU) · Apr 18 - Asteroid 2011 GF Near-Earth Flyby (0.083 AU) · Apr 19 -Cassini, Titan Flyby · Apr 19 - Asteroid 2006 HF6 Near-Earth Flyby (0.013 AU) · Arp 19 -Asteroid 2011 GM62 Near-Earth Flyby (0.030 AU) · Apr 19 - 40th Anniversary (1971), Salyut 1 Launch (1st Space Station) · Apr 20 -ResourceSat 2/ YouthSat/ X-Sat PSLV Launch (India) · Apr 20 - Comet C/2010 F3 (Scotti) Closest Approach To Earth (4.745 AU) · Apr 20 - Asteroid 16528 Terakado Occults HIP 57320 (6.5 Magnitude Star) · Apr 20 - Asteroid 3905 Doppler Closest Approach To Earth (2.018 AU) · Apr 21 - Asteroid 2011 GV9 Near-Earth Flyby (0.061 AU) · Apr 21 - Asteroid 9548 Fortran Closest Approach To Earth (1.642 AU) · Apr 22 -Intelsat New Dawn/ Yahsat 1A Ariane 5 Launch · Apr 22 - Cassini, Orbital Trim Maneuver #281 (OTM-281) · Apr 22 - Lyrids Meteor Shower Peak · Apr 22 - Asteroid 216 Kleopatra Closest Approach To Earth (2.484 AU)

Food for ThoughtCitizen Scientists Help Find Alien Planets

Space Image of the Week