Space News Update- April 6, 2012 -

In the News

Story 1: 12-Mile-High Martian Dust Devil Caught in Act

Story 2:NASA's Kepler Mission Awarded Mission Extension

Story 3: Near-misses Between Space Station and Debris on the Rise

Departments

The Night SkyISS Sighting Opportunities

NASA-TV HighlightsSpace CalendarFood for Thought

Space Image of the Week

12-Mile-High Martian Dust Devil Caught in Act

NASA's Kepler Mission Awarded Mission Extension

Near-misses Between Space Station and Debris on the Rise

The Night Sky

Friday, April 6Full Moon (exact at 3:19 p.m. EDT). This evening the Moon shines in the east with Spica a little to its left and Saturn farther left — a pretty lineup! Farther to the Moon's right, look for the four-star pattern of Corvus, the Crow. To the Moon's upper left, much farther, shines bright Arcturus, the "Spring Star" (outside the frame here).

Saturday, April 7The bright Moon rises around the end of twilight below Saturn and Spica in the east-southeast. Later in the evening the three shine higher: a long, narrow triangle with the Moon at the bottom.

Sunday, April 8As twilight fades down, Look for bright Sirius in the southwest, Orion's horizontal Belt off to the right, and Aldebaran and Venus farther to the right in the west. They all form a long, almost straight line. The line is horizontal if you live near latitude 38° north.

Monday, April 9The Big Dipper, high in the northeast, dumps water into the dim Little Dipper during evening at this time of year.

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 Sat Apr 07/03:54 AM < 1 13 13 above ENE 11 above E

ISS Sat Apr 07/05:26 AM 5 40 21 above WNW 10 above SSE

ISS Sun Apr 08/04:34 AM 2 28 28 above SE 10 above SE

ISS Sun Apr 08/09:06 PM < 1 15 10 above SSW 15 above SSW

ISS Mon Apr 09/05:14 AM < 1 11 11 above S 11 above S

ISS Mon Apr 09/08:11 PM 4 17 10 above S 13 above E

ISS Mon Apr 09/09:46 PM 2 26 10 above WSW 26 above W

NASA-TV Highlights

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

April 7, Saturday8 a.m., 8 p.m. - Replay of ISS Update (4/2) - HQ (Public and Education Channels)9 a.m., 5 p.m. - Replay of ISS Update (4/3) - HQ (Public and Education Channels)10 a.m., 4 p.m. - Replay of ISS Update (4/4) - HQ (Public and Education Channels)11 a.m., 3 p.m. - Replay of ISS Update (4/5) - HQ (Public and Education Channels)12 p.m. - NASA Television Video File - HQ (All Channels)1 p.m., 7 p.m. - Replay of ISS Mission Control Interview with the Digital Learning Network (4/5) - HQ (Public and Education Channels)2 p.m. - Replay of ISS Update (4/6) - HQ (Public and Education Channels)6 p.m. - NASA Television Video File - HQ (All Channels)

April 8, Sunday7 a.m. - Replay of ISS Mission Control Interview with the Digital Learning Network (4/5) - HQ (Public and Education Channels)8 a.m., 8 p.m. - Replay of ISS Update (4/2) - HQ (Public and Education Channels)9 a.m., 5 p.m., 9 p.m. - Replay of ISS Update (4/3) - HQ (Public and Education Channels)10 a.m., 4 p.m., 10 p.m. - Replay of ISS Update (4/4) - HQ (Public and Education Channels)11 a.m., 3 p.m., 11 p.m. - Replay of ISS Update (4/5) - HQ (Public and Education Channels)12 p.m. - NASA Television Video File - HQ (All Channels)1 p.m., 7 p.m. - Replay of ISS Mission Control Interview with the Digital Learning Network (4/5) - HQ (Public and Education Channels)2 p.m. - Replay of ISS Update (4/6) - HQ (Public and Education Channels)6 p.m. - NASA Television Video File - HQ (All Channels)

Space Calendar

Apr 06 - Asteroid 2012 DX75 Near-Earth Flyby (0.060 AU)Apr 06 - Asteroid 14880 Moa Closest Approach To Earth (1.738 AU)Apr 07 - Asteroid 582 Olympia Closest Approach To Earth (1.782 AU)Apr 08 - Easter SundayApr 08 - Asteroid 6377 Cagney Closest Approach To Earth (1.352 AU)Apr 08 - Asteroid 3953 Perth Closest Approach To Earth (1.681 AU)Apr 08 - Dwarf Planet 136108 Haumea At Opposition (50.016 AU)Apr 09 - Comet 141P/Machholz 2-D Closest Approach To Earth (4.009 AU)Apr 09 - Asteroid 4557 Mika Occults HIP 107556 (2.9 Magnitude Star)Apr 09 - Asteroid 2829 Bobhope Closest Approach To Earth (2.195 AU) 

JPL Space Calendar

Food for Thought1981 Climate Change Predictions Were Eerily Accurate

Space Image of the Week

Image Credit: NASA