Space News Update - May 2, 2017 - In the News Departments Story 1: SwRI-Led Team Discovers Lull in Mars’ Giant Impact History Story 2: Cassini Finds 'The Big Empty' Close to Saturn Story 3: Ripples in Cosmic Web Measured Using Rare Double Quasars Departments The Night Sky ISS Sighting Opportunities NASA-TV Highlights Space Calendar Food for Thought Space Image of the Week

SwRI-Led Team Discovers Lull in Mars’ Giant Impact History 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)

Cassini Finds 'The Big Empty' Close to Saturn

Ripples in Cosmic Web Measured Using Rare Double Quasars

Moon and Regulus, Wednesday, May 3rd. The Night Sky Sky & Telescope Moon and Regulus, Wednesday, May 3rd. Credit: Space.com Tuesday, May 2 At nightfall, the first-quarter Moon forms part of a gigantic curving arc: To the Moon's lower left is Procyon, to its upper right are Pollux and Castor, and continuing way farther right, you can include Menkalinan and then brilliant Capella. These stars alone, minus the Moon, form the Arch of Spring. Wednesday, May 3 The waxing gibbous Moon, 1.3 light-seconds away, shines near Regulus, 79 light-years away. Regulus is the bottom star of the Sickle of Leo, marking Leo's forefoot. Thursday, May 4 The moon now shines under the belly of Leo — with Regulus to its right, Algieba a little farther to its upper right, and Denebola a lot farther to the Moon’s upper left. Friday, May 5 Now the Moon is under Leo's tail star, Denebola (by about a fist at arm's length). To the Moon's lower left is bright Jupiter, with Spica about half again farther on.

ISS Sighting Opportunities ISS For Denver: Date Visible Max Height Appears Disappears Wed May 3, 5:26 AM 3 min 24° 11° above S 21° above ESE Thu May 4, 4:35 AM 12° 10° above SSE 10° above ESE Fri May 5, 5:17 AM 4 min 65° 10° above SW 41° above ENE Sat May 6, 4:27 AM 31° 23° above S 18° above E Sighting information for other cities can be found at NASA’s Satellite Sighting Information

NASA-TV Highlights (all times Eastern Time Zone) 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, May 2 4 p.m. - RNASA Space Awards Gala 2017 (all channels) 8 p.m. - Replay of the RNASA Space Awards Gala 2017 (all channels) Wednesday, May 3 8:30 a.m. - Expedition 51 In-Flight Event for ESA with France Info TV and Flight Engineer Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency (NTV-1 with English interpretation; NTV-3 in native language) (starts at 8:40 a.m.) (all channels) Friday, May 5 6 a.m. - Live Media Satellite Interviews with NASA Scientists on the New Hubble Frontier Field Image (NTV-3 (Media))   Watch NASA TV online by going to the NASA website

Space Calendar JPL Space Calendar May 02 - Cassini, Distant Flyby of Daphnis & Prometheus May 02 - Comet 255P/Levy Perihelion (1.008 AU) May 02 - Comet 211P/Hill Closest Approach To Earth (2.569 AU) May 02 - Comet C/2013 C2 (Tenagra) Closest Approach To Earth (8.414 AU) May 02 - Asteroid 10044 Squyres Closest Approach To Earth (2.072 AU) May 02 - Asteroid 5816 Potsdam Closest Approach To Earth (2.332 AU) May 03 - Comet 94P/Russell At Opposition (1.555 AU) May 03 - Comet 130P/McNaught-Hughes At Opposition (1.740 AU) May 03 - Atira Asteroid 164294 (2004 XZ130) Closest Approach To Earth (0.671 AU) May 03 - Asteroid 4370 Dickens Closest Approach To Earth (1.558 AU) May 04 - Star Wars Day May 04 - SGDC-1/ Koreasat 7 Ariane 5 Launch May 04 - Moon Occults Regulus May 04 - Moon Occults Asteroid 16 Psyche May 04 - Comet C/2013 C2 (Tenagra) At Opposition (8.414 AU) May 04 - Asteroid 407 Arachne Occults HIP 75272 (6.5 Magnitude Star) May 04 - Asteroid 9622 Terryjones Closest Approach To Earth (1.511 AU) May 05 - National Astronaut Day May 05 - Space Day May 05 - Mars Spring Equinox May 05 - GSAT 9 GSLV Mk.2 Launch May 05 - Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower Peak May 05 - Comet 73P-W/Schwassmann-Wachmann Closest Approach To Earth (0.181 AU) May 05 - Comet 189P/NEAT At Opposition (0.709 AU) May 05 - Comet 251P/LINEAR Closest Approach To Earth (0.883 AU) May 05 - Comet 334P/NEAT Perihelion (4.185 AU) JPL Space Calendar

Is Another Universe Sitting Too Close To Us On The Multiverse Bus? New Technique Puts Exoplanets on the Scale New Technique Puts Exoplanets on the Scale Food for Thought Is Another Universe Sitting Too Close To Us On The Multiverse Bus?

Space Image of the Week Exploring the Antennae Image Credit & Copyright: Data; Subaru, NAOJ, NASA/ESA/Hubble Assembly and Processing; Roberto Colombari