Space News Update- October 19, 2012 -

In the News

Story 1: Mars Soil Sample Delivered for Analysis Inside Rover

Story 2: Astronomers Uncover A Surprising Trend in Galaxy Evolution

Story 3: Alpha Centauri B Has An Earth-Mass Planet

Departments

The Night SkyISS Sighting Opportunities

NASA-TV HighlightsSpace CalendarFood for Thought

Space Image of the Week

Mars Soil Sample Delivered for Analysis Inside Rover

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Astronomers Uncover A Surprising Trend in Galaxy Evolution

Alpha Centauri B Has An Earth-Mass Planet

The Night Sky

Friday, October 19 · The crescent Moon shines in the southwest as twilight fades. If it were a bow, it would be shooting an arrow to the lower right above the Mars-and-Antares pair, as shown here. Binoculars will help you pick out the two similar-looking, orange-red points. · The annual Orionid meteor shower should be getting under way in the hours before dawn Saturday morning, and it should continue in the early-morning hours for the next few days. You may see 10 or 20 Orionids per hour. The shower's radiant point is at the top of Orion's Club, which doesn't rise high until after well midnight. There will be no moonlight for the next few mornings. · At 10:48 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, Jupiter's moon Io reappears out from behind Jupiter's eastern limb. Later, Jupiter's Great Red Spot crosses the planet's central meridian around 1:18 a.m. Saturday morning EDT (10:18 p.m. Friday evening PDT). For all of Jupiter's satellite events and Great Red Spot transits this month, good worldwide, see "Action at Jupiter" in the October Sky & Telescope, page 52.

The Night Sky

Saturday, October 20 · As twilight fades this evening, Mars and Antares are at their minimum separation of 3½°. Look for them quite low in the southwest, as shown above.

Sunday, October 21 · First-quarter Moon (exact at 11:32 p.m. EDT). The Moon shines in the south to southwest during evening. Look for Altair high above it as the stars come out. Later in the evening, Altair is upper right of the Moon.

Monday, October 22 · Vega is the brightest star high in the west these evenings. Even higher above it is Deneb. Farther off to Vega's left or lower left is the third Summer Triangle star, 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 Fri Oct 19/07:04 PM 3 12 10 above NNW 10 above NNE

ISS Sat Oct 20/07:53 PM 1 11 10 above NNW 11 above N

ISS Sun Oct 21/07:03 PM 2 10 10 above NNW 10 above NNE

ISS Mon Oct 22/07:51 PM 1 13 10 above NNW 13 above N

NASA-TV Highlights

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

October 19, Friday10:40 a.m. - ISS Expedition 33 Interview with Collectspace.com - JSC (All Channels)1 p.m.,4 p.m., 8 p.m., 10 p.m. - Replay of Video File of the ISS Expedition 33/34 Crew Activities in Baikonur, Kazakhstan - HQ (All Channels)1:30 p.m. - Video B-Roll of ISS Expedition 33 Spacewalk Tasks – JSC (Public and Media Channels) October 20, Saturday6 a.m., 10 a.m., 1 p.m. - Replay of Video File of the ISS Expedition 33/34 Crew Activities in Baikonur, Kazakhstan - HQ (All Channels)2 p.m., 4 p.m., 8 p.m.10 p.m. - Video File of the ISS Expedition 33/34 Crew Activities and Soyuz Rocket Mating in Baikonur, Kazakhstan - JSC (All Channels) October 21, Sunday8 a.m., 10 a.m. - Replay of Video File of the ISS Expedition 33/34 Crew Activities and Soyuz Rocket Mating in Baikonur, Kazakhstan - HQ (All Channels)12 p.m. - Video File of the ISS Expedition 33/34 Soyuz TMA-06M Rollout to the Launch Pad in Baikonur, Kazakhstan - JSC (All Channels)2 p.m., 4 p.m., 8 p.m., 10 p.m. - Replay of Video File of the ISS Expedition 33/34 Soyuz TMA-06M Rollout to the Launch Pad in Baikonur, Kazakhstan - HQ (All Channels) October 22, Monday12 p.m. - Video File of the ISS Expedition 33/34 Final Pre-Launch Crew News Conference and Russian State Commission Meeting in Baikonur, Kazakhstan - JSC (All Channels)

Space CalendarOct 19 - [Oct 19] Asteroid 2012 UE Near-Earth Flyby (0.005 AU) Oct 19 - [Oct 13] Asteroid 2012 TF79 Near-Earth Flyby (0.044 AU) Oct 19 - [Oct 19] Asteroid 2012 UC Near-Earth Flyby (0.045 AU) Oct 19 - Asteroid 5450 Sokrates Closest Approach To Earth (1.729 AU) Oct 19 - Asteroid 15550 Sydney Closest Approach To Earth (1.735 AU) Oct 19 - Asteroid 51825 Davidbrown Closest Approach To Earth (1.795 AU) Oct 19 - Asteroid 6227 Alanrubin Closest Approach To Earth (2.362 AU) Oct 19 - Asteroid 3259 Brownlee Closest Approach To Earth (2.583 AU) Oct 19 - 45th Anniversary (1967), Mariner 5, Venus Flyby Oct 20 - Moon Occults Pluto Oct 20 - Amateur Astronomers Association of New York (AAA) Urban Starfest, New York, New York Oct 20 - 32nd Annual Telescope Making Contest (CAFTA 2012), Parc St-Charles, Canada Oct 20 - Christopher Wren's 380th Birthday (1632) Oct 21 - Orionids Meteor Shower Peak Oct 21 - Comet P/2006 U5 (Christensen) Closest Approach To Earth (2.032 AU) Oct 21 - Kuiper Belt Object 15760 (1992 QB1) At Opposition (40.160 AU) Oct 21 - Yerkes Observatory's 115th Birthday (1897) Oct 22 - [Oct 19] Asteroid 2012 TP231 Near-Earth Flyby (0.015 AU) Oct 22 - Asteroid 2008 CT1 Near-Earth Flyby (0.067 AU) Oct 22 - Asteroid 6779 Perrine Closest Approach To Earth (1.391 AU)

JPL Space Calendar

Christopher Wren

Food for Thought

2012 Orionid Meteor Shower Peaks This Weekend

Space Image of the Week

Image Credit & Copyright: Robert Howell