Space News Update - April 30, In the News Story 1: Story 1: Durable NASA Rover Beginning Ninth Year of Mars Work Story 2: Story 2: Giant Alien Planet May Have Split into 2 Earth-Size Worlds Story 3: Story 3: Who Owns The Asteroids? Departments The Night Sky ISS Sighting Opportunities NASA-TV Highlights Space Calendar Food for Thought Space Image of the Week Durable NASA Rover Beginning Ninth Year of Mars Work Giant Alien Planet May Have Split into 2 Earth-Size Worlds Who Owns The Asteroids? The Night Sky Monday, April 30 The Moon shines below Mars, Regulus, and Gamma Leonis (Algieba) this evening, as shown here. Venus is at its "greatest illuminated extent" showing the most sunlit apparent area (in square arcseconds) that it's going to this apparition. Tuesday, May 1 The Moon forms the bottom of a big triangle with Mars to its upper right and Denebola, the tail star of Leo, to its upper left. This is the time of year when the Gemini twins stand upright in the west as darkness arrives. Their head stars, Pollux and Castor, are nearly horizontal (depending on your latitude). Lower left of them shines Procyon. Farther lower right of them is Capella. Stealing the show lower down this year is brilliant Venus. Wednesday, May 2 Venus has approached to within 1.7 of fainter Beta Tauri (El Nath) above it. Thursday, May 3 Saturn and Spica are left or lower left of the waxing gibbous Moon, as shown here. Look lower right of the Moon for the four-star pattern of Corvus, the Crow. Friday, May 4 Saturn and Spica pose above the bright Moon this evening. ISS Sighting Opportunities Sighting information for other cities can be found at NASAs Satellite Sighting InformationSatellite Sighting Information For Denver: SATELLITELOCALDURATION MAX ELEV APPROACHDEPARTURE DATE/TIME(MIN)(DEG)(DEG-DIR) ISSTue May 01/08:34 PM above WSW 10 above SW NASA-TV Highlights May 1, Tuesday 12:55 p.m. - ISS Expedition 31 In-Flight Event with KRLA Radio, Los Angeles and the Associated Press JSC (Public and Media Channels) 4:30 p.m. - Orion Feature Package Feed - JSC (Public and Media Channels) p.m. - Live Interviews with Orion Program Manager Mark Geyer - JSC (Public and Media Channels) May 2, Wednesday 12 p.m. Video File of the ISS Expedition 31/32 Crew Departure from Star City, Russia for Baikonur, Kazakhstan - JSC(Public and Media Channels) May 3, Thursday 12:05 p.m. ISS Mission Control Interview with Students on the Digital Learning Network JSC(All Channels) May 4, Friday 11:55 a.m. ISS Expedition 31 In-Flight Event with Fox News Radio and CBS Radio Network/CBS NewsPath JSC(Public and Media Channels) Watch NASA TV on the Net by going to NASA website.NASA website Space Calendar Apr 30 - Comet 171P/Spahr Perihelion (1.765 AU) Apr 30 - Asteroid 1388 Aphrodite Closest Approach To Earth (2.013 AU) Apr 30 - Asteroid 6984 Lewiscarroll Closest Approach To Earth (3.360 AU) Apr 30 - Kuiper Belt Object (2004 GV9) At Opposition ( AU) Apr 30 - Carl Friedrich Gauss' 235th Birthday (1777) May 01 - Asteroid 711 Marmulla Occults HIP (6.9 Magnitude Star) May 01 - Asteroid DNA Closest Approach To Earth (1.657 AU) May 02 - Cassini, Enceladus Flyby May 02 - Cassini, Distant Flyby of Polydeuces, Atlas & Dione May 02 - Asteroid 1992 JD Near-Earth Flyby (0.024 AU) May 02 - Asteroid 3200 Phaethon Closest Approach To Earth (0.873 AU) May 03 - AEHF F-2 Atlas 5 Launch May 03 - Cassini, Distant Flyby of Titan May 03 - Comet P/2008 R1 (Garradd) Closest Approach To Earth (1.560 AU) May 03 - Comet C/2012 E1 (Hill) Closest Approach To Earth (7.170 AU) May 03 - Comet C/2010 L3 (Catalina) Closest Approach To Earth (9.492 AU) May 03 - Asteroid 2001 SZ269 Near-Earth Flyby (0.071 AU) May 03 - Asteroid 2012 FD1 Near-Earth Flyby (0.086 AU) May 03 - Asteroid 9523 Torino Closest Approach To Earth (1.257 AU) May 04 - Space Day May 04 - Asteroid 2010 KX7 Near-Earth Flyby (0.039 AU) May 04 - Asteroid 6154 Stevesynnott Closest Approach To Earth (1.202 AU) May 04 - Asteroid Navi Closest Approach To Earth (1.248 AU) May th Anniversary (2002), AQUA Launch May th Anniversary (1967), Lunar Orbiter 4 Launch JPL Space Calendar Food for Thought Where's ET? More Optimism Than Evidence Space Image of the Week