Space News Update- April 22, 2011 -

In the News

Story 1: Ultraviolet Spotlight on Plump Stars in Tiny Galaxies

Story 2:Cassini Probe Sees Electric Link With Saturn And One Of Its

Moons

Story 3: NASA Awards Next Set Of Commercial Crew Development

Agreements

 Departments

The Night SkyISS Sighting Opportunities

NASA-TV HighlightsFood for Thought

Space Image of the Week

Ultraviolet Spotlight on Plump Stars in Tiny Galaxies

Cassini Probe Sees Electric Link With Saturn And One Of

Its Moons

NASA Awards Next Set Of Commercial Crew Development Agreements

The Night Sky

The recurrent nova T Pyxidis erupted last week for the first time since December 1966. It's now magnitude 7.5 (as of April 22nd) and is likely to brighten to about 6.4 by May 20th. It's visible right after dark from mid-northern latitudes and points south. See our article T Pyxidis Finally Blows Again.Friday, April 22 · The Lyrid meteor shower should peak late tonight, but it's usually quite weak. The best chance to see an occasional Lyrid will be around midnight daylight-saving time, when Lyra is up fairly high but the Moon hasn't yet risen. · Just south of Regulus is the dim but galaxy-riddled constellation Sextans, the Sextant. Dig up some of its far sights using Sue French's Deep-Sky Wonders column, chart, and images in the April Sky & Telescope, page 58. Saturday, April 23 · Capella is the brightest star shining in the northwest right after dusk. Arcturus is the brightest in the east. Both are magnitude zero — and this week, both stand at exactly the same height above your horizon around nightfall (depending on your latitude). How accurately can you time this event for your location? Sunday, April 24 · Last-quarter Moon (exact at 10:47 p.m. EDT). The Moon, in Capricornus, rises long after midnight tonight (daylight-saving time) and stands nearly in the south at Monday sunrise. Monday, April 25 · In late twilight, have you been keeping an eye on bright Sirius in the southwest and Orion in the west? They're still in view but sinking lower daily. How much later in the season can you keep them in sight?

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 Fri Apr 22/08:55 PM 2 14 14 above NNW 10 above NNE

ISS Sun Apr 24/08:09 PM 2 13 13 above NNW 10 above NNE

ISS Mon Apr 25/10:11 PM < 1 10 10 above NNE 10 above NNE

ISS Fri Apr 22/08:55 PM 2 14 14 above NNW 10 above NNE

NASA-TV Highlights(all times Eastern Daylight Time)

Watch NASA TV on the Net by going to NASA website

April 22, Friday4 p.m. - Interview with STS-134 Commander Mark E. Kelly (Captain, United States Navy) (28:01) - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)4:30 p.m. - Interview with ESA Astronaut STS-134 Mission Specialist 2 Roberto Vittori (Colonel, Italian Air Force) (25:41) - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)5 p.m. - Interview with STS-134 Mission Specialist 1 Edward M. Fincke (Colonel, United States Air Force) (53:15) - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)6 p.m. - NASA Television Video File - (Public, HD and Media Channels)7 p.m. - Replay of ISS Update (4/22/11) - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)8 p.m. - STS-134 Crew Profile (11:35) - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)8:12 p.m. - STS-134 Mission Overview (11:53) - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)8:24 p.m. - STS-134 Crew Training (36:13) - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)9 p.m. - Interview with STS-134 Pilot Gregory H. Johnson (37:27) - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)9:40 p.m. - Interview with STS-134 Mission Specialist 4 Gregory E. Chamitoff, Ph.D. (49:39) - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)

April 23, Saturday6 a.m. - NASA Television Video File - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)7 a.m., 2 p.m. - Replay of ISS Update (4/18/11) - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)8 a.m., 3 p.m. - Replay of ISS Update (4/19/11) - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)9 a.m., 4 p.m. - Replay of ISS Update (4/20/11) - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)10 a.m., 5 p.m. - Replay of ISS Update (4/21/11) - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)11 a.m., 6 p.m. - Replay of ISS Update (4/22/11) - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)12 p.m. - NASA Television Video File - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)1 p.m. - STS-134 Crew Profile (11:35) - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)1:12 p.m. - STS-134 Mission Overview (11:53) - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)1:24 p.m. - STS-134 Crew Training (36:13) - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)7 p.m. - Interview with STS-134 Commander Mark E. Kelly (Captain, United States Navy) (28:01) - HQ

NASA-TV Highlights(all times Eastern Daylight Time)

Watch NASA TV on the Net by going to NASA website

(Public, HD and Media Channels)7:30 p.m. - Interview with STS-134 Pilot Gregory H. Johnson (37:27) - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)8:10 p.m., 10 p.m. - Interview with STS-134 Mission Specialist 4 Gregory E. Chamitoff, Ph.D. (49:39) - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)9 p.m. - Interview with STS-134 Mission Specialist 1 Edward M. Fincke (Colonel, United States Air Force) (53:15) - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)10:50 p.m. - Interview with STS-134 Mission Specialist 3 Andrew J. Feustel, Ph.D. (43:25) - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)11:35 p.m. - Interview with ESA Astronaut STS-134 Mission Specialist 2 Roberto Vittori (Colonel, Italian Air Force) (25:41) - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)

NASA-TV Highlights(all times Eastern Daylight Time)

Watch NASA TV on the Net by going to NASA website

April 24, Sunday6 a.m., 8:12 p.m. - Interview with STS-134 Commander Mark E. Kelly (Captain, United States Navy) (28:01) - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)6:30 a.m., 9 p.m. - Interview with STS-134 Pilot Gregory H. Johnson (37:27) - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)7:10 a.m., 10:35 p.m. - Interview with STS-134 Mission Specialist 4 Gregory E. Chamitoff, Ph.D. (49:39) - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)8 a.m., 9:40 p.m. - Interview with STS-134 Mission Specialist 1 Edward M. Fincke (Colonel, United States Air Force) (53:15) - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)9 a.m. - NASA Television Video File - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)10 a.m., 7 p.m. - Interview with STS-134 Mission Specialist 3 Andrew J. Feustel, Ph.D. (43:25) - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)10:45 a.m., 7:45 p.m. - Interview with ESA Astronaut STS-134 Mission Specialist 2 Roberto Vittori (Colonel, Italian Air Force) (25:41) - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channel)11:15 a.m. - STS-134 Crew Profile (11:35) - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)11:30 a.m. - STS-134 Crew Training (36:13) - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)12:10 p.m. - NASA Television Video File - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)1 p.m. - Replay of ISS Update (4/18/11) - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)2 p.m. - Replay of ISS Update (4/19/11) - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)3 p.m. - Replay of ISS Update (4/20/11) - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)4 p.m. - Replay of ISS Update (4/21/11) - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)5 p.m. - Replay of ISS Update (4/22/11) - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)6 p.m. - NASA Television Video File - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)April 25, Monday2 p.m. - Signing Ceremony of a Formal Agreement Between NASA and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to Promote Collaboration on Scientific and Technological Solutions to Worldwide Problems - HQ (Public, HD and Media Channels)

Space Calendar

· Apr 22 - Intelsat New Dawn/ Yahsat 1A Ariane 5 Launch · Apr 22 - Cassini, Orbital Trim Maneuver #281 (OTM-281) · Apr 22 - Lyrids Meteor Shower Peak · Apr 22 - Asteroid 216 Kleopatra Closest Approach To Earth (2.484 AU) · Apr 23 - Asteroid 2011 EM51 Near-Earth Flyby (0.046 AU) · Apr 23 - Asteroid 2010 HW20 Near-Earth Flyby (0.069 AU) · Apr 23 - Asteroid 8084 Dallas Closest Approach To Earth (1.676 AU) · Apr 24 - Comet 227P/Catalina-LINEAR Closest Approach To Earth (1.681 AU) · Apr 24 - Comet P/2004 T1 (LINEAR-NEAT) Perihelion (1.708 AU) · Apr 24 - Asteroid 2003 FF5 Near-Earth Flyby (0.054 AU) · Apr 25 - Asteroid 2011 DV Near-Earth Flyby (0.100 AU)

Food for Thought

Observing the Lyrids

Space Image of the WeekThe Art of Making Stars

CREDIT: NASA/JSC