Space News Update- July 30, 2012 -

In the News

Story 1: Curiosity Completes Crucial Course Correction – 1 Week from Mars!

Story 2:50-Mile Landslides Spotted on Saturn's Icy Moon

Story 3: X-Rays Discovered From Young Supernova Remnant

Departments

The Night SkyISS Sighting Opportunities

NASA-TV HighlightsSpace CalendarFood for Thought

Space Image of the Week

Curiosity Completes Crucial Course Correction – 1 Week from Mars!

50-Mile Landslides Spotted on Saturn's Icy Moon

X-Rays Discovered From Young Supernova Remnant

The Night SkyMonday, July 30 · The waxing gibbous Moon this evening hangs over the handle of the Sagittarius Teapot.

Tuesday, July 31 · During early dawn Wednesday and Thursday mornings, look low in the east to spot brilliant Venus, magnitude –4.6. Look 2° upper left of it (roughly a finger's width at arm's length) for Zeta Tauri, magnitude 3.0. That's a brightness difference of just over 1,000 times! Binoculars will be necessary as dawn brightens.

Wednesday, August 1 · Full Moon tonight (exact at 11:27 p.m. EDT). The Moon is in dim Capricornus. Shining high above it is Altair.

Thursday, August 2 · Arcturus is the brightest star in the west after dark at this time of year. It and Vega, almost overhead, are the two leading stars of summer. Look off to the right of Arcturus, in the northwest, to spot the Big Dipper dipping down.

Friday, August 3 · As summer enters its second half, the Summer Triangle approaches its greatest height in the evening. Face east and look almost straight up after nightfall. The brightest star there is Vega. Toward the northeast from Vega (by two or three fist-widths at arm's length) is Deneb. Toward the southeast from Vega by a greater distance is Altair.

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 Tue Jul 31/03:41 AM < 1 10 10 above N 10 above N

ISS Tue Jul 31/05:16 AM 2 16 10 above NNW 16 above NNE

ISS Wed Aug 01/02:47 AM 1 11 10 above NNW 10 above N

ISS Wed Aug 01/04:24 AM 1 12 10 above NNW 12 above N

ISS Thu Aug 02/03:31 AM < 1 11 10 above N 11 above N

ISS Thu Aug 02/05:07 AM 2 25 11 above NNW 25 above NNE

ISS Fri Aug 03/02:39 AM < 1 10 10 above N 10 above N

ISS Fri Aug 03/04:14 AM 2 17 10 above NNW 17 above NNE

NASA-TV HighlightsJuly 30, Monday5 p.m. - Coverage of the Final Undocking of the ISS Progress 47 Resupply Ship from the ISS (Final Undocking scheduled at 5:19 p.m. ET) - JSC (All Channels)

July 31, Tuesday10:40 - 11 a.m. - ISS Expedition 32 In-Flight Interviews with ABC News Meteorologist Ginger Zee and CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta – JSCC (Media Channel)10:40 a.m. - ISS Expedition 32 In-Flight Interviews with ABC News Meteorologist Ginger Zee and CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta - JSC (Public and Education Channels)

August 1, Wednesday3:15 p.m. - Coverage of the Launch of the ISS Progress 48 Resupply Ship to the ISS (Launch scheduled at 3:35 p.m. ET) - JSC (All Channels)8:45 p.m. - Coverage of the Docking of the ISS Progress 48 Resupply Ship to the ISS (Docking scheduled at 9:24 p.m.) (All Channels)

August 2, Thursday12:05 p.m. - ISS Mission Control Interview with the Digital Learning Network - JSC (All Channels)1 p.m. - NASA Science News Conference - MSL Mission Science Overview - JPL (All Channels)2 p.m. - NASA Science News Conference - Mission Engineering Overview - JPL (All Channels)

August 3, Friday6 - 10 a.m. - Live Satellite Interviews on Mars Science Laboratory/Curiosity Rover Landing - JPL (Public and Media Channels)12:30 - 2:30 p.m. - NASA Social for the Mars Science Laboratory/Curiosity Rover Landing - JPL (Education Channel)5:30 - 9:30 p.m. - Live Satellite Interviews on Mars Science Laboratory/Curiosity Rover Landing - JPL (Public and Media Channels)

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

Space Calendar

Jul 30 - Progress 47 Reenters Earth's Atmosphere Jul 30 - Moon Occults Pluto Jul 30 - Comet P/2005 J1 (McNaught) Closest Approach To Earth (1.763 AU) Jul 30 - Asteroid 4 Vesta Occults UCAC2 37485056 (11.7 Magnitude Star) Jul 30 - Asteroid 3473 Sapporo Closest Approach To Earth (1.513 AU) Jul 30 - Asteroid 1006 Lagrangea Closest Approach To Earth (1.666 AU) Jul 31 - Progress M-16M Soyuz U Launch (International Space Station 48P) Jul 31 - Asteroid 2198 Ceplecha Closest Approach To Earth (1.593 AU) Aug 01 - NROL-36/Cinema 1/Aeneas/ CSSWE/ CXBN/ CP5 Atlas 5 Launch Aug 01 - Alpha Capricornids Meteor Shower Peak Aug 01 - Comet 96P/Machholz Closest Approach To Earth (0.894 AU) Aug 02 - Intelsat 20/ Hylas 2 Ariane 5 Launch Aug 02 - Asteroid 3 Juno Occults TYC 5024-00229-1 (11.9 Magnitude Star) Aug 02 - Asteroid 2709 Sagan Closest Approach To Earth (1.259 AU) Aug 02 - Asteroid 35977 Lexington Closest Approach To Earth (1.534 AU) Aug 02 - 45th Anniversary (1967), Lunar Orbiter 5 Launch Aug 03 - Asteroid 185 Eunike Occults HIP 17805 (5.9 Magnitude Star) Aug 03 - Asteroid 5451 Plato Closest Approach To Earth (1.260 AU) Aug 03 - Asteroid 2046 Leningrad Closest Approach To Earth (1.733 AU) Aug 03 - Asteroid 19620 Auckland Closest Approach To Earth (2.022 AU)

JPL Space Calendar

Food for ThoughtAugust Will Be a Blue Moon Month

Space Image of the Week