Space News Update- December 24, 2013 -

In the News

Story 1: Astronauts ready for second spacewalk to repair station

Story 2:Prebiotic Molecules May Form in Exoplanet Atmospheres

Story 3: Curiosity Team Upgrades Software, Checks Wheel Wear

 Departments

The Night SkyISS Sighting Opportunities

NASA-TV HighlightsSpace CalendarFood for Thought

Space Image of the Week

Astronauts ready for second spacewalk to

repair station

Prebiotic Molecules May Form in Exoplanet Atmospheres

Curiosity Team Upgrades Software, Checks Wheel Wear

The Night SkyTuesday, December 24 • The last-quarter Moon shines near Mars after they rise late tonight and into the Christmas-morning dawn.

Wednesday, December 25• A Christmas deco star. At this time every year Sirius rises in the east-southeast down below Orion around 7 or 8 p.m. (depending on your location). When Sirius is still low, binoculars often show it twinkling in vivid colors. All stars do this when low, but Sirius is the brightest, making the effect more pronounced. Merry Sol Invictus! In late Roman times when the solstice fell on December 25th, this date was celebrated as Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, the Birthday of the Unconquered Sun — when the Sun began to reverse its long decline with the hopeful promise, in the cold and the dark, of a new spring and summer to come.

Thursday, December 26• Sirius and Procyon in the balance. Sirius sparkles low in the east-southeast after dinnertime. Procyon shines in the east about two fist-widths at arm's length to Sirius's left.

Friday, December 27• In Saturday's cold dawn, Alpha Librae (Zubenelgenubi) shines 1° to 3° lower left of the waning crescent Moon (for North America), with Saturn 5° farther onward, as shown here. The Moon occults (covers) Alpha Librae for Hawaii (timetable).

Saturday, December 28 • Very late tonight and tomorrow night, little Mars is passing 3/4° south of Gamma Virginis (Porrima), magnitude 2.7, a famous close double star for telescopes at high power. They rise together after midnight but are best observed before dawn.

Sky & Telescope

ISS Sighting Opportunities

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

ISS For Denver:

Date VisibleMax Height

Appears Disappears

Tue Dec 24, 5:11 PM 4 min 15° 10 above NNW 10 above NE

Tue Dec 24, 6:47 PM 1 min 18° 10 above NW 18 above NW

Wed Dec 25, 5:59 PM

4 min 35° 10 above NW 32 above NE

Thu Dec 26, 5:11 PM 5 min 24° 11 above NNW 10 above E

Thu Dec 26, 6:47 PM 3 min 41° 10 above WNW41 above WSW

Fri Dec 27, 5:58 PM 6 min 87° 10 above NW 18 above SE

Sat Dec 28, 5:10 PM 6 min 52° 10 above NW 11 above ESE

Sat Dec 28, 6:49 PM 2 min 16° 16 above SW 10 above S    

NASA-TV Highlights(all times Eastern Daylight Time)

Watch NASA TV online by going to the NASA website

•December 24, Tuesday•5 a.m. - Replay of Space Station Live (12/23) - HQ (All Channels)•6:15 a.m. - ISS Expedition 38 Spacewalk Coverage (spacewalk scheduled to begin at 7:10 a.m.) - JSC (All Channels)

•December 25, Wednesday•11 a.m. - Replay of Space Station Research: Top 10 Results; Parts 1 and 2 - HQ (All Channels)•3 p.m. - Replay of Space Station Research: Top 10 Results; Parts 1 and 2 - HQ (All Channels)•5 p.m. - Replay of Space Station Research: Top 10 Results; Parts 1 and 2 - HQ (All Channels)•7 p.m. - Replay of Space Station Research: Top 10 Results; Parts 1 and 2 - HQ (All Channels)•10 p.m. - Replay of Space Station Research: Top 10 Results; Parts 1 and 2 - HQ (All Channels)

•December 26, Thursday•11 a.m. - Space Station Live - JSC (All Channels)•11:30 a.m. - Space Station Research: Top 10 Results; Part 2 - HQ (All Channels)• •December 27, Friday•7:30 a.m. - ISS Expedition 38 Russian Spacewalk Coverage - (Spacewalk begins at 8 a.m. ET; replaces Space Station Live) - HQ (All Channels)

Space Calendar

JPL Space Calendar

Dec 24 - [Dec 19] Deep Space Network's 50th Birthday (1963) Dec 24 - SKRL-756 1/SKRL-756 2/AIST/ Mikhailo Lomonosov Soyuz 2-1V Volga Launch (Inaugural Launch of the Light, Two-stage Version of Soyuz) Dec 24 - Comet C/2013 V1 (Boattini) Closest Approach To Earth (1.466 AU) Dec 24 - Asteroid 532 Herculina At Opposition (9.4 Magnitude) Dec 24 - Asteroid 9619 Terrygilliam Closest Approach To Earth (1.543 AU) Dec 24 - Asteroid 34419 Corning Closest Approach To Earth (1.887 AU) Dec 25 - Cosmos (Strela-3M) 7-9 Rokot-KM Launch Dec 25 - Comet 84P/Giclas At Opposition (1.284 AU) Dec 25 - Comet C/2011 J2 (LINEAR) Perihelion (3.443 AU) Dec 25 - Asteroid 5261 Eureka Closest Approach To Earth (0.642 AU) Dec 25 - Asteroid 9951 Tyrannosaurus Closest Approach To Earth (1.737 AU) Dec 25 - Asteroid 484 Pittsburghia Closest Approach To Earth (1.800 AU) Dec 25 - Asteroid 11714 Mikebrown Closest Approach To Earth (2.175 AU) Dec 25 - 10th Anniversary (2003), Mars Express, Mars Orbit Insertion Dec 25 - 35th Anniversary (1978), Venera 11, Venus Landing Dec 26 - Express AM-5 Proton M-Briz M Launch Dec 26 - Asteroid 2709 Sagan Closest Approach To Earth (1.221 AU) Dec 26 - Asteroid 12773 Lyman Closest Approach To Earth (1.672 AU) Dec 26 - Asteroid 1006 Lagrangea Closest Approach To Earth (1.689 AU) Dec 27 - Comet C/2012 S1 (ISON) Closest Approach To Earth (0.429 AU) Dec 27 - Comet 120P/Mueller Closest Approach To Earth (2.301 AU) Dec 27 - Asteroid 6 Hebe Occults HIP 95168 (3.9 Magnitude Star) Dec 27 - Asteroid 2013 WV45 Near-Earth Flyby (0.061 AU) Dec 27 - Asteroid 7850 Buenos Aires Closest Approach To Earth (1.621 AU) Dec 28 - Comet P/2000 R2 (LINEAR) At Opposition (2.225 AU) Dec 28 - Comet 65P/Gunn At Opposition (3.916 AU) Dec 28 - Asteroid 2011 YD29 Near-Earth Flyby (0.016 AU) Dec 28 - Asteroid 2011 BT15 Near-Earth Flyby (0.032 AU) Dec 28 - Asteroid 3169 Ostro Closest Approach To Earth (0.801 AU)

Mars ExpressVenera 11

Food for ThoughtHappy Holidays from Cassini!

Space Image of the Week

Image Credit: Image and photoshop credit: Lee Jennings.

Astrophoto: Comet Love, Joy and Santa