Space News Update - December 29, In the News Story 1: NASA Receives Significant Budget Boost for Fiscal Year 2016 Story 2: NASA’s MMS Delivers Promising Initial Results Story 3: Story 3: Chinese Rover Analyzes Moon Rocks: First new ‘ground truth’ in 40 years Departments The Night Sky ISS Sighting Opportunities Space Calendar NASA-TV Highlights Food for Thought Space Image of the Week Happy Holidays!

NASA Receives Significant Budget Boost for Fiscal Year 2016

NASA’s MMS Delivers Promising Initial Results

Chinese Rover Analyzes Moon Rocks: First new ‘ground truth’ in 40 years

The Night Sky Sky & Telescope Tuesday, December 29 Sirius and Procyon in the balance: Sirius, the Dog Star, sparkles low in the east-southeast after dinnertime. Procyon, the Little Dog Star, shines in the east about two fist-widths at arm's length to Sirius's left. If you live around latitude 30° (Tijuana, New Orleans, Jacksonville), these two canine stars will be at the same height above your horizon soon after they rise. If you're north of that latitude, Procyon will be higher. If you're south of there, Sirius will be the higher one. Wednesday, December 30 The Moon, nearly last quarter, rises due east by about 11 tonight. Jupiter follows it up about 25 minutes later (for the Americas). They climb higher through the rest of the night, gradually drawing closer together. They stand high in the south under Denebola before the first light of dawn on the 31st, as shown above Thursday, December 31  After the noise and cheering at midnight tonight, step outside into the silent dark. The last-quarter Moon will be newly risen in the cold east — or if you're near the western edge of your time zone, it may still be about to rise. Jupiter shines above it. Higher in the south, Sirius will be shining brightly. It's now the balance point at the bottom of the Winter Triangle. The triangle's other two stars are Betelgeuse in Orion's shoulder to its upper right, and Procyon equally far to its upper left. Friday, January 1  By midevening at this time of year, the Great Square of Pegasus balances on one corner high in the west. The vast Andromeda-Pegasus constellation complex runs all the way from near the zenith (Andromeda's foot) down through the Great Square (Pegasus's body) to somewhat low in the west (Pegasus's nose). Saturday, January 2  Dawn and sunrise happen at their latest for the year this week (in the mid-northern latitudes). Look low in the southeast early in the dawn for bright Venus. It heads up a triangle with Saturn to its lower left and twinkly Antares lower down. And on Sunday morning the 3rd, the Moon high to its upper right shines with Mars and Spica  Earth is at perihelion, its closest to the Sun for the year: only 1 part in 30 closer than at aphelion in July. 

ISS Sighting Opportunities Sighting information for other cities can be found at NASA’s Satellite Sighting InformationSatellite Sighting Information ISS For Denver : No Sighting Opportunities through January 1, 2016

NASA-TV Highlights Watch NASA TV online by going to the NASA websiteNASA website MAVEN Launch November 18, 2013 NASA MAVEN Launch November 18, 2013 NASA MAVEN Launch November 18, 2013 NASA No TV Events Scheduled through January 4, (all times Eastern Time Zone)

Space Calendar JPL Space Calendar  Dec 29 - Cassini, Orbital Trim Maneuver #435 (OTM-435)Cassini  Dec 29 - Mercury At Its Greatest Eastern Elongation (20 Degrees)Mercury  Dec 29 - Comet 170P/Christensen At Opposition (2.786 AU)Comet 170P/Christensen  Dec 29 - Comet P/2014 W4 (PANSTARRS) Perihelion (4.262 AU)Comet P/2014 W4 (PANSTARRS)  Dec 29 - Apollo Asteroid 2015 XV351 Near-Earth Flyby (0.014 AU)Apollo Asteroid 2015 XV351  Dec 29 - Apollo Asteroid (2008 CM) Near-Earth Flyby (0.058 AU)Apollo Asteroid (2008 CM)  Dec 29 - Asteroid Albee Closest Approach To Earth (0.874 AU)Asteroid Albee  Dec 29 - Asteroid Seanokeefe Closest Approach To Earth (1.062 AU)Asteroid Seanokeefe  Dec 29 - Asteroid 2157 Ashbrook Closest Approach To Earth (2.104 AU)Asteroid 2157 Ashbrook  Dec 30 - Chinasat 9A CZ-3B/E Launch (China)Chinasat 9A  Dec 30 - Comet P/2009 K1 (Gibbs) At Opposition (1.562 AU)Comet P/2009 K1 (Gibbs)  Dec 30 - Apollo Asteroid 2015 XC352 Near-Earth Flyby (0.013 AU)Apollo Asteroid 2015 XC352  Dec 30 - Asteroid 589 Croatia Closest Approach To Earth (2.111 AU)Asteroid 589 Croatia  Dec th Anniversary (2000), Cassini, Jupiter FlybyCassini  Dec th Anniversary (1985), Stephen Synnott's Discovery of Uranus Moon PuckStephen Synnott'sPuck  Dec th Anniversary (1930), 1st Photo Showing Earth's Curvature Taken By Capt. Albert Stevens1st Photo Showing Earth's Curvature Taken By Capt. Albert Stevens  Dec 31 - Cassini, Distant Flyby of RheaCassini  Dec 31 - Comet 216P/LINEAR At Opposition (1.479 AU)Comet 216P/LINEAR  Dec 31 - Apollo Asteroid 2015 YT1 Near-Earth Flyby (0.035 AU)Apollo Asteroid 2015 YT1Near-Earth Flyby  Dec 31 - Apollo Asteroid 2011 YE40 Near-Earth Flyby (0.041 AU)Apollo Asteroid 2011 YE40Near-Earth Flyby  Dec 31 - Apollo Asteroid 2015 YD2 Near-Earth Flyby (0.056 AU)Apollo Asteroid 2015 YD2Near-Earth Flyby  Dec 31 - Aten Asteroid 2340 Hathor Closest Approach To Earth (0.521 AU)Aten Asteroid 2340 Hathor  Dec 31 - Asteroid 3949 Mach Closest Approach To Earth (1.231 AU)Asteroid 3949 Mach  Dec 31 - Asteroid 3665 Fitzgerald Closest Approach To Earth (1.334 AU)Asteroid 3665 Fitzgerald  Dec 31 - Asteroid Emilylakdawalla Closest Approach To Earth (1.950 AU)Asteroid Emilylakdawalla  Jan 01 - Cassini, Distant Flyby of Aegaeon, Pan, Pandora, Methone & TethysCassini

Food for Thought How Big can a Black Hole Grow?

Space Image of the Week Rare Christmas Full Moon a Cosmic Gift for the Holidays Credit: P-M Heden/clearskies.se