Space News Update- March 16, 2012 -

In the News

Story 1: Zoom Into the Entire Infrared Sky from WISE

Story 2:Clues to 'Weird' Saturn Moon Found in Earth's Ice

Story 3: Spaceflight Bad for Astronauts' Vision, Study Suggests

 Departments

The Night SkyISS Sighting Opportunities

Space CalendarNASA-TV Highlights

Food for ThoughtSpace Image of the Week

Zoom Into the Entire Infrared Sky from WISE

Clues to 'Weird' Saturn Moon Found in Earth's Ice

Spaceflight Bad for Astronauts' Vision, Study Suggests

The Night SkyFriday, March 16· Tonight Comet Garradd, about magnitude 6.8, passes ¼° by the tail star of Draco: 4th-magnitude Lambda (λ) Draconis. You've got a good view in convenient evening hours now; catch the comet before it starts fading. See our article and chart in the March Sky & Telescope, page 60, or online.Saturday, March 17· Jupiter and Venus have separated a bit to appear nearly 5° apart now — still a head-turning spectacle in the west at dusk!Sunday, March 18· As the stars come out, look south for brilliant Sirius. It's the bottom point of the Winter Triangle. The triangle's other corners are Procyon to Sirius's upper left, and Betelgeuse to Sirius's upper right (a corner of Orion). Compared to the Summer Triangle, the Winter Triangle is brighter, more colorful, and equilateral!Monday, March 19· Spring begins (in the Northern Hemisphere) tonight. The equinox comes at 1:14 a.m. Tuesday morning EDT, 10:14 p.m. Monday evening PDT, when the Sun crosses the equator on its way north. The Sun rises and sets almost due east and west, and day and night are about equally long. In the Southern Hemisphere, winter begins.

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 Thu Mar 15/06:26 AM 2 17 10 above S 17 above SE

ISS Sat Mar 17/06:07 AM 4 34 10 above SSW 29 above ESE

ISS Sun Mar 18/05:13 AM 2 16 15 above SSE 13 above ESE

ISS Mon Mar 19/05:51 AM 3 74 29 above SW 27 above ENE

NASA-TV Highlights(all times Eastern Daylight Time)

Watch NASA TV on the Net by going to NASA website

March 16, Friday4 p.m. – Replay of JPL’s Women’s History Month Event – “Leaders in Space Exploration” – HQ (Public and Education Channels) 8 p.m., 4 p.m. – Replay of NASA’s Women, Innovation and Aerospace Program at George Washington University (Morning and Afternoon Sessions) – HQ (Public and Education Channels)March 17, Saturday7 a.m., 11 p.m. – Replay of ISS Update (3/12) – HQ (All Channels)8 a.m., 10 p.m. – Replay of ISS Update (3/13) – HQ (All Channels)9 a.m., 9 p.m. – Replay of ISS Update (3/14) – HQ (All Channels)10 a.m., 8 p.m. – Replay of ISS Update (3/15) – HQ (All Channels)11 a.m., 7 p.m. – Replay of ISS Update (3/16) – HQ (All Channels)12 p.m. – NASA Television Video File – HQ (Public and Media Channels)1 p.m. – Replay of JPL’s Women’s History Month Event – “Leaders in Space Exploration” – HQ (Public and Education Channels)March 11, Sunday6 a.m., 5 p.m. – Replay of ISS Update (3/12) – HQ (All Channels)7 a.m., 4 p.m. – Replay of ISS Update (3/13) – HQ (All Channels)8 a.m., 3 p.m. – Replay of ISS Update (3/14) – HQ (All Channels)9 a.m., 12 p.m., 6 p.m. – NASA Television Video File – HQ (Public and Media Channels)10 a.m., 8 p.m. – Replay of NASA’s Women, Innovation and Aerospace Program at George Washington University (Morning and Afternoon Sessions) – HQ (Public and Education Channels)1 p.m., 7 p.m. – Replay of ISS Update (3/16) – HQ (All Channels)2 p.m. – Replay of ISS Update (3/15) – HQ (All Channels)

Space Calendar

Mar 16 - Mercury Passes 4.6 Degrees From UranusMar 16 - Asteroid 6373 Stern Closest Approach To Earth (1.424 AU)Mar 16 - 50th Anniversary (1962), 1st Titan 2 Rocket LaunchMar 17 - Asteroid 736 Harvard Closest Approach To Earth (1.548 AU)Mar 17 - Asteroid 7610 Sudbury Closest Approach To Earth (1.887 AU)Mar 17 - Asteroid 42776 Casablanca Closest Approach To Earth (2.084 AU)Mar 17 - Asteroid 99905 Jeffgrossman Closest Approach To Earth (2.521 AU)Mar 17 - Dwarf Planet 136472 Makemake At Opposition (51.386 AU)Mar 17 - 10th Anniversary (2002), GRACE LaunchMar 18 - MESSENGER, End of Primary MissionMar 18 - Asteroid 10387 Bepicolombo Closest Approach To Earth (2.059 AU)Mar 19 - Comet 228P/LINEAR Closest Approach To Earth (2.532 AU)Mar 19 - Asteroid 13752 Grantstokes Closest Approach To Earth (1.778 AU)Mar 19 - Asteroid 14967 Madrid Closest Approach To Earth (1.935 AU)Mar 19 - Asteroid 12760 Maxwell Closest Approach To Earth (2.335 AU)Mar 19 - Asteroid 5281 Lindstrom Closest Approach To Earth (2.367 AU)

Johann Gottfried Galle

Titan II launch vehicle launching Gemini 11 (September 12, 1966)

JPL Calendar

Food for Thought

Ride a Shuttle Booster to the Edge of Space and Back

Click image to view on YouTube

Space Image of the WeekGlittering Jewels of Messier 9

Image Credit: NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope