Space News Update- June 7, 2013 -

In the News

Story 1: 'Dust Trap' around Distant Star May Solve Planet Formation Mystery

Story 2: What Does Antarctica Look Like Under the Ice?

Story 3: Astronomers gear up to discover Earth-like planets

Departments

The Night SkyISS Sighting Opportunities

NASA-TV HighlightsSpace CalendarFood for Thought

Space Image of the Week

'Dust Trap' around Distant Star May Solve Planet Formation

Mystery

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What Does Antarctica Look Like Under the Ice?

Astronomers gear up to discover Earth-like planets

The Night SkyFriday, June 7· Mercury in the twilight has reached its farthest distance above Venus, 5°. See the scene at right. They're as far apart as fainter Pollux and Castor above them, which come into view as twilight dims. 5° is about three finger-widths at arm's length (depending, of course, on the width of your fingers relative to the length of your arm!).

Saturday, June 8· After dark, look southeast for orange-red Antares. It's one of the two great red supergiants of the naked-eye sky; the other is Betelgeuse in winter. Around and to the upper right of Antares are other, white stars of upper Scorpius.· New Moon (exact at 3:14 a.m. on this date EDT).

Sunday, June 9· After sunset, look for the young crescent Moon about 6° to 8° below Venus very low in the west-northwest (at the times of twilight in North America). Binoculars will help. Monday, June 10· The thin crescent Moon low in twilight now forms a triangle with Venus and Mercury, as shown at right. Look above the triangle for the Pollux-and-Castor pair.

Sky & Telescope

ISS Sighting Opportunities

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

For Denver:

SATELLITE LOCAL DURATION MAX ELEV APPROACH DEPARTURE

DATE/TIME (MIN) (DEG) (DEG-DIR) (DEG-DIR)

ISS Fri Jun 07/01:57 AM 4 17 10 above NNW 10 above ENEISS Fri Jun 07/03:33 AM 6 84 10 above NW 11 above SEISS Fri Jun 07/09:52 PM 5 25 11 above W 10 above NNEISS Fri Jun 07/11:33 PM < 1 11 10 above N 10 above NISS Sat Jun 08/01:11 AM 1 13 13 above NNE 10 above NEISS Sat Jun 08/02:44 AM 6 47 10 above NW 10 above ESEISS Sat Jun 08/04:22 AM 4 17 10 above W 11 above SISS Sat Jun 08/09:02 PM 6 38 10 above WSW 11 above NEISS Sat Jun 08/10:44 PM < 1 12 12 above N 10 above NNEISS Sun Jun 09/00:21 AM < 1 11 11 above NNE 10 above NNEISS Sun Jun 09/01:55 AM 2 29 10 above NW 27 above NISS Sun Jun 09/09:54 PM 1 15 14 above N 10 above NNEISS Sun Jun 09/11:32 PM < 1 10 10 above N 10 above NNEISS Mon Jun 10/01:07 AM 2 21 11 above NNW 21 above NNEISS Mon Jun 10/09:05 PM 2 19 19 above N 11 above NNEISS Mon Jun 10/10:42 PM < 1 10 10 above N 10 above N

NASA-TV Highlights

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

June 10, Monday11:35 a.m. - ISS Expedition 36 Educational In-Flight Event with the Douglas, MA Public School District - JSC (All Channels)

Space Calendar

Jun 07 - [Jun 04] Shenzhou 10 CZ-2F/H Launch (Chinese Manned Launch to Tian Gong1 1 Space Station)Jun 07 - [Jun 02] Cosmos 2486 (Persona N2) Soyuz 2-1B LaunchJun 07 - Comet P/2005 L1 (McNaught) At Opposition (2.241 AU)Jun 07 - Asteroid 2013 HO11 Near-Earth Flyby (0.063 AU)Jun 08 - Comet C/2013 F3 (McNaught) At Opposition (1.424 AU)Jun 08 - Comet 82P/Gehrels Closest Approach To Earth (3.567 AU)Jun 08 - Comet P/2000 QJ46 (LINEAR) At Opposition (3.925 AU)Jun 08 - Kuiper Belt Object 50000 Quaoar Occults 2UCAC 26262935 (12.7 Magnitude Star)Jun 08 - Asteroid 5049 Sherlock Closest Approach To Earth (1.284 AU)Jun 08 - Asteroid 763 Cupido Closest Approach To Earth (1.405 AU)Jun 09 - Comet C/2013 G2 (McNaught) Closest Approach To Earth (2.049 AU)Jun 09 - Comet 258P/PANSTARRS Closest Approach To Earth (3.535 AU)Jun 09 - Comet 82P/Gehrels At Opposition (3.567 AU)Jun 09 - Asteroid 5405 Neverland Closest Approach To Earth (1.048 AU)Jun 09 - Asteroid 3197 Weissman Closest Approach To Earth (2.140 AU)Jun 10 - [Jun 07] Asteroid 2013 LD2 Near-Earth Flyby (0.015 AU)Jun 10 - [Jun 03] Asteroid 2013 KK6 Near-Earth Flyby (0.059 AU)Jun 10 - Asteroid 36800 Katarinawitt Closest Approach To Earth (1.129 AU)Jun 10 - Asteroid 42776 Casablanca Closest Approach To Earth (2.067 AU)Jun 10 - Asteroid 6984 Lewiscarroll Closest Approach To Earth (3.725 AU)Jun 10 - Kuiper Belt Object 28978 Ixion At Opposition (39.650 AU)Jun 10 - 10th Anniversary (2003), Mars Exploration Rover A (Spirit) LaunchJun 10 - 40th Anniversary (1973), Explorer 49 Launch (Moon Orbiter)

JPL Space Calendar

Food for ThoughtNASA Flights Target How Pollution, Storms and Climate Mix

Space Image of the Week

Image Credit: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage (STScI / AURA)- ESA / Hubble Collaboration

M57: The Ring Nebula