Space News Update

1

• Space News Update
• January 27, 2012 -

In the News Story 1 Russia Evaluates Space
Capsule Cracks Ahead of March Launch Story
2Does Water Ice Lurk Beneath the Poles of Vesta
? Story 3 Kepler finds 11 new solar systems
beyond our own   Departments The Night Sky ISS
Sighting OpportunitiesSpace Calendar NASA-TV
Highlights Food for Thought Space Image of the
Week
2
Russia Evaluates Space Capsule Cracks Ahead of
March Launch
3
Does Water Ice Lurk Beneath the Poles of Vesta ?
4
Kepler finds 11 new solar systems beyond our own
5
The Night Sky
Friday, January 27 Now the Moon is higher
above Venus. Once the stars come out, look a
similar distance to the Moon's right for the
bottom star of the Great Square of Pegasus. The
Great Square is balancing on this
corner. Saturday, January 28 This evening,
look right of the Moon for a different corner of
the Great Square of Pegasus its leftmost corner.
About twice as far to the Moon's upper left,
Jupiter is shining brightly. 
6
The Night Sky
Sunday, January 29 The Moon shines about 8
right or upper right of Jupiter this evening (for
North America), as shown above. This evening
the faint asteroid 1746 Brouwer will occult
(cover) a 7.0-magnitude star in Aries for up to 4
seconds as seen from a path running from Oregon
through the Minneapolis/St. Paul area to
Massachusetts. Maps and details for planning your
watch. The star is bright enough in a telescope
that the Moon so nearby shouldn't compromise
things too much. Monday, January 30 The
first-quarter Moon shines about 8 upper left of
Jupiter this evening (for North America), as
shown above.
7
For Denver No ISS Sighting Opportunities
For Denver No ISS Sighting Opportunities
ISS Sighting Opportunities
For Denver
SATELLITE LOCAL DURATION MAX ELEV APPROACH DEPARTURE
DATE/TIME (MIN) (DEG) (DEG-DIR) (DEG-DIR)

ISS Sat Jan 28/0558 AM 3 14 10 above NNW 10 above NE
ISS Sun Jan 29/0504 AM lt 1 10 10 above NNE 10 above NNE
ISS Sun Jan 29/0637 AM 4 30 10 above NW 24 above ENE
ISS Mon Jan 30/0541 AM 3 19 15 above N 13 above ENE
Sighting information for other cities can be
found at NASAs Satellite Sighting Information
8
NASA-TV Highlights
(all times Eastern Daylight Time)
January 27, Friday630 p.m. - ISS Progress 46
Docking Coverage (docking scheduled at 708 p.m.
ET) - JSC(Public, HD and Media Channels)January
31, Tuesday1150 a.m. - ISS Expedition 30
Educational Event with the Asa E. Low
Intermediate School in Mansfield, TX - JSC (All
Channels)1 p.m. - NASA Science Update -
HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)
Watch NASA TV on the Net by going to NASA website
9
Johann Gottfried Galle
Wilhelm Beer
Space Calendar
Jan 27 - Comet C/2011 Q2 (McNaught) Closest
Approach To Earth (2.271 AU) Jan 27 - Asteroid
36800 Katarinawitt Closest Approach To Earth
(1.533 AU) Jan 27 - 45th Anniversary
(1967), Apollo 1 Fire (Gus Grissom, Edward White
Roger Chaffee) Jan 28 - Jan 26 SES-4 Proton
M-Briz M Launch Jan 28 - Asteroid 371 Bohemia
Occults HIP 9248 (6.8 Magnitude Star) Jan 28
- Asteroid 1157 Arabia Closest Approach To Earth
(2.638 AU) Jan 29 - Asteroid 3414
Champollion Closest Approach To Earth (1.047
AU) Jan 29 - Asteroid 289586 Shackleton Closest
Approach To Earth (1.168 AU) Jan 29-Feb 03 - IAU
Symposium 287 Cosmic Masers From OH to H0,
Stellenbosch, South Africa Jan 30 - Jan
24 Cassini, Titan Flyby Jan 30 - Jan
24 Asteroid 2012 BD14 Near-Earth Flyby (0.015
AU) Jan 30 - Asteroid 2010 WU8 Near-Earth
Flyby (0.078 AU) Jan 30 - Asteroid 35978
Arlington Closest Approach To Earth (1.479
AU) Jan 30 - Asteroid 6487 Tonyspear Closest
Approach To Earth (2.076 AU) Jan 30 - Asteroid
83360 Catalina Closest Approach To Earth (2.116
AU) Jan 31 - Asteroid 433 Eros Closest Approach
To Earth (0.177 AU)
JPL Space Calendar
10
Food for Thought
Remembering NASAs Lost Astronauts
11
Space Image of the Week
Blue Marble
Image Credit NASA/NOAA/GSFC/Suomi
NPP/VIIRS/Norman Kuring