Space News Update- April 4, 2014 -

In the News

Story 1: NASA’s OCO-2 Brings Sharp New Focus on Global Carbon

Story 2: M-class Solar Flare Erupts

Story 3: Rosetta's pioneering Philae comet lander reactivated

 Departments

The Night SkyISS Sighting Opportunities

Space CalendarNASA-TV Highlights

Food for ThoughtSpace Image of the Week

NASA’s OCO-2 Brings Sharp New Focus on Global Carbon

M-class Solar Flare Erupts

Rosetta's pioneering Philae comet lander reactivated

The Night Sky

Sky & Telescope

Friday, April 4 After dark this week, look southeast to spot bright Mars shining above lesser Spica. Mars is at opposition this week!Look far left from them to find Arcturus, the "Spring Star," in the east. Arcturus forms the pointy bottom of the long, narrow kite asterism made by the brightest stars of Bootes. The kite is currently lying on its side to the left of Arcturus, with its head at the far left bent slightly upward. The kite is 23° long: about two fist-widths at arm's length.

Saturday, April 5 The Moon passes below Jupiter in Gemini this weekend, as shown at right. Although they look close together, Jupiter is currently almost 2,000 times farther away. And it's 40 times bigger than the Moon.All week look above Jupiter for Pollux and Castor, left of it for Procyon, and farther right of it for Capella. Way down below it is Betelgeuse, the top corner of Orion.

Sunday, April 6 First-quarter Moon. It's shining near Jupiter, which by no coincidence was at quadrature (90° east of the Sun) just a few days ago.

Monday, April 7 The Moon forms a curving arc this evening with Pollux and Castor to its upper right and Procyon to its lower left. To the right of the arc shines brighter Jupiter.

Tuesday, April 8 Mars is at opposition — its closest opposition since December 2007. Mars is actually nearest to Earth on the 14th, but the difference is barely a trace. This is the month for Mars with your telescope!

ISS Sighting Opportunities

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

ISS For Denver:

Date Visible Max Height Appears Disappears

Fri Apr 4, 9:02 PM 1 min 23° 11 above SSW 23 above SSW

Sat Apr 5, 8:13

PM

4 min 22° 11 above S 16 above E

Sat Apr 5, 9:49

PM

1 min 20° 10 above WSW 20 above W

Sun Apr 6, 9:00

PM

5 min 65° 10 above WSW 24 above NE

Mon Apr 7, 8:11

PM

6 min 68° 10 above SW 10 above ENE

Mon Apr 7, 9:50

PM

1 min 20° 18 above NW 19 above N

Tue Apr 8, 9:01

PM

3 min 27° 25 above NW 11 above NNE

NASA-TV Highlights

(all times Eastern Daylight Time)

April 5, Saturday7 p.m. - FameLab: Exploring Earth and Beyond - The National Final - HQ (NTV-1, NTV-2) April 7, Monday9:45 a.m. - Coverage of the ISS Progress 54 Undocking from the ISS (Undocking scheduled at 9:58 a.m. EDT) - JSC (All Channels) April 8, Tuesday11:05 a.m. - ISS Expedition 39 Educational Event with the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Monroe, CT- JSC (All Channels)11:30 a.m. - Space Station Live - JSC (All Channels)  

Watch NASA TV online by going to the NASA website

Space Calendar

JPL Space Calendar

Apr 04 - [Apr 04] Sentinel 1A Soyuz-STB Fregat-MT Launch, SuccessfulApr 04 - [Apr 04] IRNSS 1B/ Swayam PSLV-XL Launch, SuccessfulApr 04 - Cassini, Orbital Trim Maneuver #376 (OTM-376)Apr 04 - Comet P/2010 A2 (LINEAR) Closest Approach To Earth (1.334 AU)Apr 04 - Asteroid 2013 TT5 Near-Earth Flyby (0.096 AU)Apr 04 - Asteroid 128036 Rafaelnadal Closest Approach To Earth (1.162 AU)Apr 04 - Asteroid 2266 Tchaikovsky Closest Approach To Earth (2.637 AU)Apr 05 - Comet 54P/de Vico-Swift-NEAT At Opposition (4.277 AU)Apr 05 - Asteroid 99942 Apophis Closest Approach To Earth (0.376 AU)Apr 05 - Asteroid 2956 Yeomans Closest Approach To Earth (1.580 AU)Apr 05 - Asteroid 24750 Ohm Closest Approach To Earth (1.953 AU)Apr 05 - Asteroid 6594 Tasman Closest Approach To Earth (2.014 AU)Apr 05 - Judith Resnick's 65th Birthday (1949)Apr 06 - Express AM-4R Proton-M Briz-M LaunchApr 06 - Comet C/2014 E2 (Jacques) Closest Approach To Earth (0.961 AU)Apr 06 - Comet 42P/Neujmin At Opposition (2.611 AU)Apr 06 - Comet P/2011 W1 (PANSTARRS) At Opposition (3.778 AU)Apr 06 - Asteroid 19367 Pink Floyd Closest Approach To Earth (1.818 AU)Apr 07 - [Apr 03] Cassini, Titan FlybyApr 07 - Comet 281P/MOSS At Opposition (3.615 AU)Apr 07 - Comet 185P/Petriew At Opposition (3.669 AU)Apr 07 - Asteroid 2010 GC35 Near-Earth Flyby (0.068 AU)Apr 07 - Asteroid 1566 Icarus Closest Approach To Earth (0.698 AU)Apr 07 - Asteroid 11246 Orvillewright Closest Approach To Earth (1.912 AU)Apr 07 - Asteroid 3714 Kenrussell Closest Approach To Earth (1.915 AU)Apr 08 - Mars At OppositionApr 08 - Comet P/2010 A2 (LINEAR) At Opposition (1.335 AU)Apr 08 - Comet 220P/McNaught At Opposition (2.530 AU)Apr 08 - Comet 176P/LINEAR At Opposition (2.808 AU)Apr 08 - Comet 47P/Ashbrook-Jackson At Opposition (4.215 AU)Apr 08 - Asteroid 1 Ceres Occults 2UCAC 32877293 (12.2 Magnitude Star)Apr 08 - Asteroid 2014 EF4 Near-Earth Flyby (0.082 AU)Apr 08 - Asteroid 326290 Akhenaten Closest Approach To Earth (1.460 AU)Apr 08 - Asteroid 1495 Helsinki Closest Approach To Earth (1.571 AU)Apr 08 - Asteroid 6600 Qwerty Closest Approach To Earth (1.708 AU)Apr 08 - Asteroid 12490 Leiden Closest Approach To Earth (1.832 AU)Apr 08 - Asteroid 17627 Humptydumpty Closest Approach To Earth (2.234 AU)Apr 08 - 50th Anniversary (1964), Gemini 1 Launch (Unmanned)

Food for Thought

Make a #GlobalSelfie with NASA on Earth Day

Space Image of the Week

Space Station Robot Forgets Key Again Image Credit: Expedition 38 Crew, International Space Station, NASA