Space News Update - February 16, 2016 - In the News Departments Story 1: Particles in Love: Quantum Mechanics Explored in New Study Story 2: Rosetta’s Lander Faces Eternal Hibernation Story 3: Scientists Discover Hidden Galaxies behind the Milky Way Departments The Night Sky ISS Sighting Opportunities Space Calendar NASA-TV Highlights Food for Thought Space Image of the Week

Particles in Love: Quantum Mechanics Explored in New Study In this computer graphic, NASA's Voyager 1 probe, moving toward upper left, nears the edge of the sun's influence, flying through a region of space dominated by a "magnetic highway" that helps mediate the flow of particles into and out of the solar system. The region includes particles from the sun's southern hemisphere that have been forced northward by the pressure of the interstellar wind. Voyager 1 is expected to cross the boundary into interstellar space sometime within the next few years if not sooner. (Credit: NASA)

Rosetta’s Lander Faces Eternal Hibernation

Scientists Discover Hidden Galaxies behind the Milky Way

The Night Sky Friday, February 19 Tuesday, February 16 After dusk, the Moon shines above Orion, left of orange Aldebaran, and below Beta Tauri (El Nath), the brighter of Taurus's two horn-tips. Jupiter's big, slow moon Ganymede casts its relatively prominent shadow onto Jupiter tonight, from 10:57 p.m. to 2:18 a.m. EST. Ganymede itself crosses Jupiter from 12:58 to 4:06 a.m. EST. Meanwhile, Jupiter's Great Red Spot transits the planet's central meridian around 2:36 a.m. EST. Subtract three hours from these times to get PST. Wednesday, February 17 When, precisely, do you see this evening's high gibbous Moon standing exactly over bright Sirius far below? Around 7:50 p.m.? That means you live near your time zone's standard meridian if you're in North America. Thursday, February 18 The Moon this evening shines in Gemini, straight above Procyon at nightfall, then upper right of it later as shown here. Jupiter climbs the sky low in the east. The Moon and Jupiter are currently about 60° apart. In five days the Moon will close this gap to shine right next to the bright planet. Friday, February 19 This evening the waxing gibbous Moon shines below Castor and Pollux. They don't quite point to it, yet. Keep an eye on them as you stay up late. The Moon creeps ever eastward against the stars, and very late tonight (for North America) it aligns with them perfectly. Sky & Telescope

ISS Sighting Opportunities ISS For Denver: Date Visible Max Height Appears Disappears Tue Feb 16, 7:23 PM 2 min 45° 10° above NW 45° above NNW Wed Feb 17, 6:30 PM 5 min 37° 21° above E Wed Feb 17, 8:08 PM < 1 min 14° 14° above W Thu Feb 18, 7:16 PM 44° 26° above W 39° above S Fri Feb 19, 6:22 PM 6 min 86° 10° above SE Sighting information for other cities can be found at NASA’s Satellite Sighting Information

Watch NASA TV online by going to the NASA website MAVEN Launch November 18, 2013 NASA MAVEN Launch November 18, 2013 NASA MAVEN Launch November 18, 2013 NASA NASA-TV Highlights (all times Eastern Time Zone) Tuesday, February 16 12 p.m. - ISS Expedition 46 In-Flight Educational Event for the Bob Bullock State Museum in Austin, Texas with Flight Engineer Tim Kopra of NASA (starts at 11:55 a.m.) (all channels)   Friday, February 19 7 a.m. - Coverage of the Release of the Orbital/ATK Cygnus CRS-4 Cargo Craft from the ISS (Release is scheduled at 7:25 a.m. ET) (all channels) Watch NASA TV online by going to the NASA website

Space Calendar JPL Space Calendar Feb 16 - Cassini, Titan Flyby   Feb 16 - Cassini, Titan Flyby Feb 16 - Sentinel 3A Rokot/Briz-KM Launch Feb 16 - Moon Occults Aldebaran Feb 16 - Comet C/2015 YG1 (NEOWISE) Closest Approach To Earth (1.703 AU) Feb 16 - Comet 73P-U/Schwassmann-Wachmann Closest Approach To Earth (2.474 AU) Feb 16 - Comet P/2014 M4 (PANSTARRS) At Opposition (3.004 AU) Feb 16 - Comet 15P/Finlay At Opposition (3.076 AU) Feb 16 - Apollo Asteroid 24761 Ahau Closest Approach To Earth (0.894 AU) Feb 16 - Asteroid 85185 Lederman Closest Approach To Earth (1.699 AU) Feb 16 - Asteroid 5816 Potsdam Closest Approach To Earth (2.086 AU) Feb 16 - Asteroid 10387 Bepicolombo Closest Approach To Earth (2.144 AU) Feb 16 - Asteroid 7231 Porco Closest Approach To Earth (2.421 AU) Feb 16 - 140th Anniversary (1876), Judesegeri Meteorite Fall (Hit Water Tank in India) Feb 16 - Kaspar Schweizer's 200th Birthday (1816) Feb 17 - Comet 162P/Siding Spring At Opposition (1.710 AU) Feb 17 - Comet C/2016 A5 (PANSTARRS) At Opposition (2.759 AU) Feb 17 - Amor Asteroid 2016 CY193 Near-Earth Flyby (0.079 AU) Feb 17 - Apollo Asteroid 2016 AX165 Near-Earth Flyby (0.089 AU) Feb 17 - Asteroid 9007 James Bond Closest Approach To Earth (1.672 AU) Feb 17 - Kuiper Belt Object 55565 (2002 AW197) At Opposition (44.762 AU) Feb 17 - 20th Anniversary (1996), NEAR Launch (Asteroid Orbiter/Lander) Feb 17 - Nasir ad-Din al-Tusi's 815th Birthday (1201) Feb 18 - Apollo Asteroid 2016 CG137 Near-Earth Flyby (0.056 AU) Feb 18 - Apollo Asteroid 2016 CA138 Near-Earth Flyby (0.064 AU) Feb 18 - Apollo Asteroid 1999 VF22 Near-Earth Flyby (0.094 AU) Feb 18 - Atira Asteroid 1998 DK36 Closest Approach To Earth (0.705 AU) Feb 18 - Asteroid 1850 Kohoutek Closest Approach To Earth (1.357 AU) JPL Space Calendar

Food for Thought Gravitational Waves: What Their Discovery Means for Science and Humanity

Space Image of the Week White Rock Fingers on Mars Image Credit: THEMIS, Mars Odyssey Team, ASU, JPL, NASA