Space News Update - October 15, In the News Story 1: Story 1: This Week’s Penumbral Lunar Eclipse and the Astronomy of Columbus Story 2: Story 2: Atlas 5 launcher erected for MAVEN's launch to Mars Story 3: Story 3: Juno spacecraft recovers from fault after Earth flyby Departments The Night Sky ISS Sighting Opportunities NASA-TV Highlights Space Calendar Food for Thought Space Image of the Week

This Week’s Penumbral Lunar Eclipse and the Astronomy of Columbus

Atlas 5 launcher erected for MAVEN's launch to Mars

Juno spacecraft recovers from fault after Earth flyby

The Night Sky Tuesday, October 15 The upper-right edge of the Great Square of Pegasus points down at the Moon this evening. Wednesday, October 16 Antares twinkles 1½° below Venus as twilight fades. Thursday, October 17 The bright, nearly full Moon shines below the bottom corner of the Great Square of Pegasus this evening. Friday, October 18 Full Moon. A slight penumbral eclipse of the Moon will be detectable this evening by careful Moon-watchers in the eastern half of North America. The Moon will be deepest in the pale outer fringe (penumbra) of Earth's shadow around 7:50 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. Some unusual shading on the Moon's south-southeastern side should be fairly plain to see. Subtler traces of the penumbral shading may be visible for almost an hour before and after that time. In Europe and Africa, the penumbral eclipse happens in the middle of the night when the Moon is high: centered on 23:50 Universal Time (GMT). Saturday, October 19 Look about a fist-width above the Moon this evening for the main stars of little Aries, lined up nearly horizontally.

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

NASA-TV Highlights (all times Eastern Daylight Time) Watch NASA TV online by going to the NASA websiteNASA website Data Unavailable this week

Space Calendar JPL Space Calendar Oct 15 - [Oct 10] Comet P/2013 T1 (PANSTARRS) At Opposition (1.328 AU)Comet P/2013 T1 (PANSTARRS)At Opposition Oct 15 - Asteroid 2013 SB21 Near-Earth Flyby (0.034 AU)Asteroid 2013 SB21Near-Earth Flyby Oct 15 - Asteroid 2013 SL20 Near-Earth Flyby (0.045 AU)Asteroid 2013 SL20Near-Earth Flyby Oct 15 - Asteroid Pic-du-Midi Closest Approach To Earth (1.433 AU)Asteroid Pic-du-Midi Oct 15 - Asteroid 5143 Heracles Closest Approach To Earth (1.940 AU)Asteroid 5143 HeraclesClosest Approach To Earth Oct 15 - Dwarf Planet Eris At Opposition ( AU)Dwarf Planet ErisAt Opposition Oct 16 - Comet C/2012 CH17 (MOSS) At Opposition (3.970 AU)Comet C/2012 CH17 (MOSS)At Opposition Oct 16 - Asteroid Pinocchio Closest Approach To Earth (1.002 AU)Asteroid Pinocchio Oct 16 - Asteroid 2281 Biela Closest Approach To Earth (1.062 AU)Asteroid 2281 Biela Oct 16 - Asteroid 2161 Grissom Closest Approach To Earth (1.333 AU)Asteroid 2161 Grissom Oct th Anniversary (1983), Venera 16, Venus Orbit InsertionVenera 16 Oct 17 - GPS 2F-5 Delta 4M LaunchGPS 2F-5Delta 4M Launch Oct 17 - Cassini, Orbital Trim Maneuver #362 (OTM-362)Cassini Oct 17 - Comet 2P/Encke Closest Approach To Earth (0.478 AU)Comet 2P/EnckeClosest Approach To Earth Oct 17 - Comet P/2002 AR2 (LINEAR) Closest Approach To Earth (1.838 AU)Comet P/2002 AR2 (LINEAR)Closest Approach To Earth Oct 17 - [Oct 13] Asteroid 2013 RH74 Near-Earth Flyby (0.053 AU)Asteroid 2013 RH74Near-Earth Flyby Oct 17 - Asteroid Samthurman Closest Approach To Earth (0.956 AU)Asteroid Samthurman Oct 17 - Asteroid 7169 Linda Closest Approach To Earth (0.988 AU)Asteroid 7169 Linda Oct 17 - Asteroid 8749 Beatles Closest Approach To Earth (1.044 AU)Asteroid 8749 Beatles Oct 17 - Asteroid 2864 Soderblom Closest Approach To Earth (1.950 AU)Asteroid 2864 Soderblom Oct 17 - Asteroid Monty Python Closest Approach To Earth (2.093 AU)Asteroid Monty Python Oct 18 - [Oct 12] Penumbral Lunar EclipsePenumbral Lunar Eclipse Oct 18 - Comet C/2012 A2 (LINEAR) At Opposition (3.738 AU)Comet C/2012 A2 (LINEAR)At Opposition Oct 18 - Asteroid 2003 UY12 Near-Earth Flyby (0.086 AU)Asteroid 2003 UY12Near-Earth Flyby Oct 19 - Asteroid 6470 Aldrin Closest Approach To Earth (0.937 AU)Asteroid 6470 Aldrin Oct 19 - Kuiper Belt Object (2002 TX300) At Opposition ( AU)Kuiper Belt Object (2002 TX300)At Opposition Oct th Anniversary (2008), IBEX (Interstellar Boundary Explorer) Pegasus XL Launch,IBEX (Interstellar Boundary Explorer) Veneras 15 and 16 Orbiters mapped half of Venus' northern hemisphere (from the north pole to 30°N latitude) at better resolution than Pioneer Venus 1. Data from Venera 15 and 16 was recorded on 600 km (about 400 miles) of tape, which two Soviet computers spent a year analyzing. The twin Veneras were the only interplanetary missions launched in 1983.solarsystem.nasasolarsystem.nasa

Food for Thought Space agencies push for deep space cooperation

Space Image of the Week Photo Credit & Copyright: ESA/DLR/FU Berlin (G. Neukum) ESA’s Mars Express Spacecraft Hebes Chasma landslides