Space News Update - May 27, In the News Story 1: Story 1: Opportunity Discovers Clays Favorable to Martian Biology and Sets Sail for Motherlode of New Clues Story 2: Story 2: Century-Old Science Helps Confirm Global Warming Story 3: Story 3: NOAA turns to backup after weather satellite glitch Departments The Night Sky ISS Sighting Opportunities NASA-TV Highlights Space Calendar Food for Thought Space Image of the Week

Opportunity Discovers Clays Favorable to Martian Biology and Sets Sail for Motherlode of New Clues

Century-Old Science Helps Confirm Global Warming

NOAA turns to backup after weather satellite glitch

The Night Sky Monday, May 27 This is the time of year when Spica, the brightest star of Virgo, shines due south just after dark. It's far to the lower right of high, bright Arcturus. Its name means "ear of wheat," and the Virgo stick figure is holding it in her hand without paying much attention. To Spica's lower right (by about a fist and a half at arm's length) is the four-star pattern of Corvus the Crow, eyeing it greedily. This year Corvus has Saturn to try to steal too. Saturn is glowing to Spica's left, noticeably brighter. Tuesday, May 28 Jupiter and Venus are now at their closest together, 1° apart low in the west-northwest after sunset. Mercury is above them. Wednesday, May 29 Here it is not even June yet, and the Big Dipper after dusk is already turning around to hang down by its handle. Look for it high in the northwest. Thursday, May 30 Vega is the brightest star in the east-northeast these evenings. The main part of its little constellation, Lyra, hangs from it to its lower right. Friday, May 31 Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter have stretched out into a nice straight line 7° long. Look low in the northwest after sunset. The line will continue to lengthen day by day, as Jupiter descends to the horizon and Mercury pulls a bit higher above Venus. Last- quarter Moon (exact at 2:58 p.m. EDT).

ISS Sighting Opportunities Sighting information for other cities can be found at NASA’s Satellite Sighting InformationSatellite Sighting Information ISS For Denver:

NASA-TV Highlights (all times Eastern Daylight Time) May 27, Monday 12 p.m. - Russian State Commission Meeting and Final Expedition 36/37 Pre-Launch Crew News Conference in Baikonur, Kazakhstan – JSC via Baikonur, Kazakhstan (All Channels) May 28, Tuesday 3:30 p.m. - ISS Expedition 36/37 Soyuz TMA-09M Launch Coverage (Launch scheduled at 4:31 p.m. ET; includes video B-roll of the crew’s pre-launch activities at 3:45 p.m. ET) - JSC via Baikonur, Kazakhstan (All Channels) 7 p.m. - Video File of ISS Expedition 36/37 Soyuz TMA-09M Pre-Launch, Launch Video B-Roll and Post-Launch Interviews - JSC (All Channels) 9:30 p.m. - ISS Expedition 36/37 Soyuz TMA-09M Docking Coverage (Docking scheduled at 10:17 p.m. ET) – JSC (All Channels) 11:30 p.m. - ISS Expedition 36/37 Soyuz TMA-09M Hatch Opening and Other Activities (Hatch Opening scheduled at 11:55 p.m. ET) - JSC via Baikonur, Kazakhstan (All Channels) May 29, Wednesday 12:30 a.m. - Replay of Expedition 36/37 Soyuz TMA-09M Post-Docking News Conference (subject to cancellation) - JSC (All Channels) 2 a.m. - Video File of ISS Expedition 36/37 Soyuz TMA-09M Docking, Hatch Opening and Other Activities - JSC (All Channels) May 30, Thursday 12:05 p.m. - ISS Mission Control On-Console Interview with the Digital Learning Network - JSC (All Channels) 1:30 p.m. - NASA Preview of the Approach of Asteroid 1998 QE2 - JPL (All Channels) Watch NASA TV online by going to the NASA websiteNASA website

Space Calendar JPL Space Calendar May 27 - Cassini, Orbital Trim Maneuver #350 (OTM-350)Cassini May 27 - Mercury Passes 2.4 Degrees From JupiterMercuryJupiter May 27 - Asteroid Jefferson Closest Approach To Earth (2.000 AU)Asteroid Jefferson May 27 - Kuiper Belt Object (2007 JJ43) At Opposition ( AU)Kuiper Belt Object (2007 JJ43)At Opposition May 28 - [May 21] Soyuz TMA-09M Soyuz FG Launch (International Space Station 35S)Soyuz TMA-09MSoyuz FG Launch May 28 - Venus Passes 1.0 Degrees From JupiterVenusJupiter May 28 - Comet P/2005 L4 (Christensen) At Opposition (1.854 AU)Comet P/2005 L4 (Christensen)At Opposition May 28 - Asteroid 7507 Israel Closest Approach To Earth (1.091 AU)Asteroid 7507 Israel May 28 - Asteroid 2097 Galle Closet Approach To Earth (2.193 AU)Asteroid 2097 Galle May 29 - Asteroid 1193 Africa Closest Approach To Earth (1.321 AU)Asteroid 1193 Africa May 29 - Asteroid 757 Portlandia Closest Approach To Earth (1.626 AU)Asteroid 757 Portlandia May 29 - Asteroid 3131 Mason-Dixon Closest Approach To Earth (1.834 AU)Asteroid 3131 Mason-Dixon May 29 - Asteroid 2202 Pele Closest Approach To Earth (2.057 AU)Asteroid 2202 Pele May 30 - [May 27] Comet C/2013 K1 (Christensen) Perihelion (0.944 AU)Comet C/2013 K1 (Christensen)Perihelion May 30 - Comet 107P/Wilson-Harrington Closest Approach To Earth (1.801 AU)Comet 107P/Wilson-HarringtonClosest Approach To Earth May 30 - [May 27] Comet C/2013 H2 (Boattini) At Opposition (6.673 AU)Comet C/2013 H2 (Boattini)At Opposition May 30 - Asteroid 2013 JR17 Near-Earth Flyby (0.096 AU)Asteroid 2013 JR17Near-Earth Flyby May 30 - Asteroid Fullerton Closest Approach To Earth (2.043 AU)Asteroid Fullerton May 31 - O3b F-1, F-2, F-3 & F-4 Soyuz STB-Fregat LaunchO3b F-1, F-2, F-3 & F-4 May 31 - Cassini, Distant Flyby of TitanCassini May 31 - Comet 98P/Takamizawa Closest Approach To Earth (0.861 AU)Comet 98P/TakamizawaClosest Approach To Earth May 31 - Asteroid (1998 QE2) Near-Earth Flyby (0.039 AU)Asteroid (1998 QE2)Near-Earth Flyby May 31 - Asteroid 3066 McFadden Closest Approach To Earth (1.677 AU)Asteroid 3066 McFadden May 31 - Asteroid 2906 Caltech Closest Approach To Earth (2.410 AU)Asteroid 2906 Caltech May 31 - Asteroid 2483 Guinevere Closest Approach To Earth (4.056 AU)Asteroid 2483 Guinevere May th Anniversary (1998), Galileo, Europa 15 FlybyGalileo

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