1. Space News Update - August 5, 2016 - In the News Departments Story 1:
Decades of Discovery: NASA’s Exploration of Jupiter
Story 2:
New Type of Exotic Binary Star
Story 3: NASA Rover Game Released for Curiosity’s Anniversary
Departments
The Night Sky
ISS Sighting Opportunities Space Calendar
NASA-TV Highlights
Food for Thought
Space Image of the Week

2. Decades of Discovery: NASA’s Exploration of Jupiter
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)

3. New Type of Exotic Binary Star

4. NASA Rover Game Released for Curiosity’s Anniversary

5. The Night Sky Sky & Telescope Friday, August 5
• The crescent Moon poses with Jupiter low in the west in twilight, as shown here.
• The Big Dipper hangs diagonally in the northwest after dark. From its midpoint, look to the right to find Polaris (not very bright) glimmering due north as always.
Polaris is the handle-end of the Little Dipper. The only other parts of the Little Dipper that are even modestly bright are the two stars forming the outer end of its bowl. On August evenings they're about a fist and a half (at arm's length) to Polaris's upper left. They're called the Guardians of the Pole, since they circle around Polaris all night and all year.
• Seen any Perseid meteors yet? The shower is due to peak late Thursday night the 11th (see below), but it's active at lesser levels for many nights before and several nights after. On the morning of August 3rd, writes Bill R. Smith of Choco, California, "I saw four Perseids in an hour," and on the morning of the 4th, "six in one hour. Looks like we will indeed have a good showing this time!" For now, there's no interfering moonlight.
Saturday, August 6
• Today is the midpoint of astronomical summer: halfway between the June solstice and the September equinox (even though August 1st, Lammas Day, is generally celebrated as the "cross-quarter" day). The exact midpoint of summer is at 2:28 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (18:28 UT).
• Accordingly, the "Spring Star" Arcturus now shines only moderately high in the west after dark, heading down — while the Great Square of Pegasus, emblem of autumn, is low in the east coming up. Look for the Great Square balanced on one corner. It's about 15° on a side, larger than your fist at arm's length.
Sunday, August 7
• As the stars come out, look left of the Moon for Spica, and right or lower right of the Moon for fainter Gamma Virginis (Porrima).
Much higher above the Moon is brighter Arcturus. Far to the right of Arcturus. . . there's the handle of the Big Dipper.
Monday, August 8
• In the deepening twilight, Spica twinkles below or lower right of the Moon.
• Mars is passing 0.9° beneath Delta Scorpii (Dschubba), the brightest star in the head of Scorpius, this evening and tomorrow evening.
Tuesday, August 9
• Have you seen Venus yet? It's slowly beginning a long and eventually spectacular evening apparition that will run all the way through the end of the coming winter. About 20 minutes after sunset, start by spotting Jupiter low due west through the twilight. Venus shines to Jupiter's lower right by 18°, about two fist-widths at arm's length.
Sky & Telescope

6. ISS Sighting Opportunities
ISS For Denver:
Date
Visible
Max Height
Appears
Disappears
Fri Aug 5, 9:54 PM
2 min
11°
10° above N
10° above NNE
Sat Aug 6, 9:02 PM
< 1 min
10°
Sat Aug 6, 10:38 PM
1 min
19°
14° above NNW
19° above NNE
Sun Aug 7, 9:45 PM
3 min
14°
12° above N
11° above NE
Mon Aug 8, 8:52 PM
Mon Aug 8, 10:28 PM
27°
20° above NNW
27° above N
Tue Aug 9, 9:35 PM
21°
15° above NNW
17° above ENE
Tue Aug 9, 11:10 PM
12°
10° above WNW
12° above WNW
Sighting information for other cities can be found at NASA’s Satellite Sighting Information

7. 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)
10 a.m., Tuesday, August 9 - ISS Expedition 48 In-Flight Interview for Lena Dunham’s “Women of the Hour” Podcast with Flight Engineer Kate Rubins of NASA (NTV-1 (Public), NTV-3 (Media))
Watch NASA TV online by going to the NASA website

8. Space Calendar JPL Space Calendar
Aug 05 - Amor Asteroid 2016 NR55 Near-Earth Flyby (0.064 AU)
Aug 05 - Asteroid Bambi Closest Approach To Earth (1.155 AU)
Aug 05 - Asteroid Lucy Closest Approach To Earth (1.587 AU)
Aug 05 - Asteroid Arthurdent Closest Approach To Earth (1.963 AU)
Aug 05 - Centaur Object Narcissus At Opposition (5.228 AU)
Aug th Anniversary (2011), Juno Atlas 5 Launch (Jupiter Orbiter)
Aug 05 - Leonid Kizim's 75th Birthday (1941)
Aug 06 - Southern Iota Aquarids Meteor Shower Peak
Aug 06 - Moon Occults Jupiter
Aug 06 - Amor Asteroid 2016 NK39 Near-Earth Flyby (0.077 AU)
Aug 06 - Asteroid Ecuador Closest Approach To Earth (1.787 AU)
Aug 06 - Asteroid 2398 Jilin Closest Approach To Earth (1.822 AU)
Aug 06 - Asteroid 5661 Hildebrand Closest Approach To Earth (2.026 AU)
Aug th Anniversary (2001), Galileo, Io 31 Flyby
Aug th Anniversary (1961), Vostok 2 Launch (Gherman Titov - 2nd Man in Space)
Aug 06 - William Wollaston's 250th Birthday (1766)
Aug th Anniversary (1181), Discovery of Supernova Cassiopeia
Aug 07 - Cassini, Orbital Trim Maneuver #457 (OTM-457)
Aug 07 - Comet C/2016 K1 (LINEAR) At Opposition (1.516 AU)
Aug 07 - Comet 53P/Van Biesbroeck At Opposition (1.544 AU)
Aug 07 - Comet C/2014 R3 (PANSTARRS) Perihelion (7.276 AU)
Aug 07 -[Aug 05] Apollo Asteroid 2016 PQ Near-Earth Flyby (0.025 AU)
Aug 07 -[Jul 31] Apollo Asteroid 2016 OV Near-Earth Flyby (0.077 AU)
Aug 07 - Asteroid 6223 Dahl Closest Approach To Earth (1.521 AU)
Aug 07 - Kent Rominger's 60th Birthday (1956)
Aug th Anniversary (1996), Announcement of Possible Microfossils Found in ALH84001 Martian Meteorite
Aug th Anniversary (1976), Viking 2, Mars Orbit Insertion
Aug 07 - Andrew Common's 175th Birthday (1841)
Aug 08 - Comet 5D/Brorsen At Opposition (3.283 AU)
Aug 08 - Apollo Asteroid 2016 CL264 Near-Earth Flyby (0.058 AU)
Aug 08 - Asteroid 1002 Olbersia Closest Approach To Earth (1.381 AU)
Aug 08 - Asteroid Larry Closest Approach To Earth (1.747 AU)
Aug th Anniversary (2001), Genesis Launch (Solar Particle Sample Return)
Aug 09 - Comet 298P/Christensen At Opposition (3.843 AU)
Aug 09 - Atira Asteroid (2008 EA32) Closest Approach To Earth (0.599 AU)
Aug 09 - Asteroid 5392 Parker Closest Approach To Earth (2.211 AU)
Aug th Anniversary (1976), Luna 24 Launch (USSR Moon Sample Return)
Aug 09 - Roman Romanenko's 45th Birthday (1971)
Aug 09 - William Fowler's 105th Birthday (1911)
JPL Space Calendar

9. NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative Opens Space to Educators, Nonprofits
Food for Thought
NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative Opens Space to Educators, Nonprofits

10. Space Image of the Week
M63: Sunflower Galaxy Wide Field  Image Credit & Copyright: Data - Deep Sky West, Processing - John Vermette