Space News Update- February 28, 2014 -

In the News

Story 1: NASA vows to correct problems that led to dangerous EVA leak

Story 2: Scientists announce 715 new planets found in Kepler data

Story 3: New Record for Oldest Earth Rock

 Departments

The Night SkyISS Sighting Opportunities

Space CalendarNASA-TV Highlights

Food for ThoughtSpace Image of the Week

NASA vows to correct problems that led to dangerous EVA leak

Scientists announce 715 new planets found in Kepler data

New Record for Oldest Earth Rock

The Night Sky

Sunday, March 2 The 7th-magnitude asteroid 2 Pallas is now passing 3° east of Alphard in Hydra in the southeastern evening sky. Find it with binoculars or a small telescope using the chart in the March Sky & Telescope, page 51.

Monday, March 3 Look high above the Moon in the west after dark for the stars of Aries hanging almost vertically.

Tuesday, March 4 Around the trailing foot of Gemini and top of Orion's Club are star clusters and nebulae both famous and obscure. Track them down with your telescope using Sue French's Deep-Sky Wonders column, photos and chart in the March Sky & Telescope, page 56.

Sky & Telescope

Friday, February 28 Sirius shines in the south after dinnertime. It's the brightest star in the night sky. Have you ever seen Canopus, the second-brightest? In one of the many interesting coincidences that devoted skywatchers know about, Canopus lies almost due south of Sirius: by 36°. That's far enough south that it never appears above your horizon unless you're below latitude 37° N (southern Virginia, southern Missouri, central California). And there you'll need a flat south horizon. Canopus crosses the south point on the horizon just 21 minutes before Sirius does.

Jupiter's moon Io crosses in front of Jupiter's face from 5:56 to 8:11 p.m. Eastern Standard Time this evening. Its tiny black shadow follows behind from 7:02 to 9:17 p.m. EST. Jupiter's Great Red Spot transits the planet's central meridian around 9:09 p.m. EST.

Saturday, March 1 Look east after dusk this week for the constellation Leo already climbing up the sky. Its brightest star is Regulus, and the Sickle of Leo extends upper left from there. As the saying goes, Leo announces spring.

ISS Sighting Opportunities

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

ISS For Denver:

No sightings through March 11th.

NASA-TV Highlights

(all times Eastern Daylight Time)

No Special Programming   

Watch NASA TV online by going to the NASA website

Space Calendar

JPL Space Calendar

Feb 28 - Comet 265P/LINEAR At Opposition (4.023 AU)Feb 28 - Comet P/2006 F1 (Kowalski) Closest Approach To Earth (4.175 AU)Feb 28 - Asteroid 2014 CD13 Near-Earth Flyby (0.068 AU)Feb 28 - Asteroid 246247 Sheldoncooper Closest Approach To Earth (1.974 AU)Feb 28 - Asteroid 4957 Brucemurray Closest Approach To Earth (2.110 AU)Feb 28 - 55th Anniversary (1959), Discoverer 1 LaunchMar 01 - Comet 296P/Garradd Perihelion (1.831 AU)Mar 01 - Asteroid 6123 Aristoteles Closest Approach To Earth (1.483 AU)Mar 01 - Deke Slayton's 90th Birthday (1924)Mar 02 - Comet C/2013 E1 (McNaught) Closest Approach To Earth (6.980 AU)Mar 02 - Asteroid 7958 Leakey Closest Approach To Earth (1.080 AU)Mar 02 - Asteroid 3350 Scobee Closest Approach To Earth (1.774 AU)Mar 02 - 10th Anniversary (2004), Rosetta LaunchMar 03 - Cassini, Orbital Trim Maneuver #373 (OTM-373)Mar 03 - Comet 294P/LINEAR Perihelion (1.300 AU)Mar 03 - Comet 86P/Wild Closest Approach To Earth (2.406 AU)Mar 03 - Asteroid 2793 Valdaj Occults HIP 55642 (4.0 Magnitude Star)Mar 03 - Asteroid 2975 Spahr Closest Approach To Earth (1.089 AU)Mar 03 - Asteroid 3174 Alcock Closest Approach To Earth (2.057 AU)Mar 03 - Asteroid 3709 Polypoites Closest Approach To Earth (4.230 AU)Mar 03 - 45th Anniversary (1969), Apollo 9 LaunchMar 03 - 55th Anniversary (1959), Pioneer 4 LaunchMar 04 - Comet 262P/McNaught-Russell At Opposition (3.918 AU)Mar 04 - Comet C/2012 X2 (PANSTARRS) At Opposition (4.480 AU)Mar 04 - Asteroid 2410 Morrison Closest Approach To Earth (1.100 AU)Mar 04 - Asteroid 1762 Russell Closest Approach To Earth (2.015 AU)

Food for Thought

Martian Meteorite Could Have Contained Ancient Water And Life, NASA Paper Says

Space Image of the Week

Seeing Through a Veil of Dust Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech