Space News Update - April 22, In the News Story 1: SpaceX Makes Strides Towards 1st Stage Falcon Rocket Recovery during Space Station Launch Story 2: Bright Points in Sun's Atmosphere Mark Patterns Deep In Its Interior Story 3: Story 3: US Leading the Path to Mars: NASA Chief Charles Bolden (Op-Ed) Departments The Night Sky ISS Sighting Opportunities Space Calendar NASA-TV Highlights Food for Thought Space Image of the Week

SpaceX Makes Strides Towards 1st Stage Falcon Rocket Recovery during Space Station Launch

Bright Points in Sun's Atmosphere Mark Patterns Deep In Its Interior

US Leading the Path to Mars: NASA Chief Charles Bolden (Op-Ed)

The Night Sky Sky & Telescope Tuesday, April 22 Bright Jupiter, high in the west at dusk, forms the top of a huge, sideways-compressed pentagon with other bright celestial landmarks. Look left of Jupiter for Procyon, far below Procyon for bright Sirius, to the right of Sirius and somewhat lower for Rigel in Orion's foot, then above Rigel for Betelgeuse, and back to Jupiter. Wednesday, April 23 As soon as twilight fades out, look moderately low in the west- northwest (far below Capella) for the little Pleiades star cluster, the size of your fingertip at arm's length. How much later through the spring can you follow the Pleiades before they're lost in the sunset? Thursday, April 24 During dawn tomorrow morning (the 25th), look below the waning crescent Moon for Venus, as shown at right. Think photo opportunity! Friday, April 25 At dawn Saturday morning, spot the thin crescent Moon low in the east left of Venus. Saturday, April 26 Brilliant Mars has been drawing closer to Gamma Virginis (Porrima), magnitude 2.7. Look for it about 2° to Mars's upper right after dark. They'll appear closest (1.4° apart) on May 4th and 5th. Gamma Vir is a fine, tight telescopic double star with a current separation of 2.1 arcseconds. Take a look at it with your scope at high power after you're done with Mars!

ISS Sighting Opportunities Sighting information for other cities can be found at NASA’s Satellite Sighting InformationSatellite Sighting Information ISS For Denver : DateVisibleMax HeightAppearsDisappears Tue Apr 22, 9:03 PM3 min84°35 above NW32 above SE Wed Apr 23, 8:14 PM5 min54°27 above NNW11 above ESE Wed Apr 23, 9:50 PM2 min15°11 above W15 above SW Thu Apr 24, 9:03 PM3 min27°20 above W15 above S Fri Apr 25, 8:14 PM4 min49°37 above W10 above SSE

NASA-TV Highlights (all times Eastern Time Zone) 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 April 22, Tuesday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. - NASA’s Path to Mars Humans to Mars Summit 2014 from George Washington University - HQ (NTV1, NTV-2) April 23, Wednesday 4:45 a.m. - Coverage of the First Undocking of the ISS Progress 53 from the ISS (Undocking scheduled at 4:58 a.m. ET) - JSC (NTV-1, NTV-3) 8:30 a.m. - ISS Expedition 39 Spacewalk Coverage (Spacewalk begins at 9:20 a.m. ET) - JSC (NTV- 1, NTV-3) 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. - NASA’s Path to Mars Humans to Mars Summit 2014 from George Washington University - HQ (NTV-2) April 24, Thursday 9 a.m. - 8 p.m. - Live coverage for FIRST Robotic Championship from St. Louis, Missouri - HQ (NTV-2) 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. - NASA’s Path to Mars – Humans to Mars Summit 2014 from George Washington University - HQ (NTV-1) 11:50 a.m. - ISS Expedition 39 In-Flight Educational Event with the Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO - JSC (NTV-3) April 25, Friday 7:45 a.m. - Coverage of the Redocking of the ISS Progress 53 to the ISS (Redocking scheduled at 8:16 a.m. ET) - JSC (All Channels) 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. - Live coverage for FIRST Robotic Championship from St. Louis, Missouri - HQ (NTV-2)

Space Calendar JPL Space Calendar Apr 22 - Earth Day Apr 22 - Lyrids Meteor Shower Peak Apr 22 - Comet 134P/Kowal-Vavrova At Opposition (1.578 AU) Apr 22 - Asteroid 2008 EZ5 Near-Earth Flyby (0.099 AU) Apr 22 - Asteroid 3831 Pettengill Closest Approach To Earth (1.125 AU) Apr 22 - Asteroid 5066 Garradd Closest Approach To Earth (1.312 AU) Apr 22 - Asteroid Robmatson Closest Approach To Earth (1.584 AU) Apr 23 - Comet P/2001 Q11 (NEAT) Perihelion (1.954 AU) Apr 23 - Comet 208P/McMillan At Opposition (3.706 AU) Apr 23 - Comet P/2007 R3 (Gibbs) At Opposition (3.822 AU) Apr 23 - Asteroid (2006 SX217) Near-Earth Flyby (0.032 AU) Apr 23 - Asteroid Jodiefoster Closest Approach To Earth (1.813 AU) Apr 23 - Asteroid 9954 Brachiosaurus Closest Approach To Earth (2.101 AU) Apr 24 - Cassini, Orbital Trim Maneuver #378 (OTM-378) Apr 24 - Comet 300P/Catalina Closest Approach To Earth (0.863 AU) Apr 24 - Asteroid Nebraska Closest Approach To Earth (2.330 AU) Apr 24 - Kuiper Belt Object 2010 EK139 At Opposition ( AU) Apr 25 - Comet P/2010 R2 (La Sagra) Closest Approach To Earth (2.364 AU) Apr 25 - Asteroid 1602 Indiana Closest Approach To Earth (1.135 AU) Apr 25 - Asteroid 9305 Hazard Closest Approach To Earth (1.242 AU) Apr 25 - Asteroid 4327 Ries Closest Approach To Earth (2.048 AU) Apr 25 - Asteroid 1373 Cincinnati Closest Approach To Earth (3.760 AU) Apr th Anniversary (1969), Bovedy Meteorite Fall (Hit Store in Ireland) Apr 26 - Comet P/2014 E1 (Larson) At Opposition (1.145 AU) Apr 26 - Comet 134P/Kowal-Vavrova Closest Approach To Earth (1.575 AU) Apr 26 - Comet C/2013 N4 (Borisov) At Opposition (2.714 AU) Apr 26 - Asteroid 2160 Spitzer Closest Approach To Earth (2.066 AU) Apr 26 - Asteroid 5000 IAU Closest Approach To Earth (2.194 AU)

Food for Thought Odd Tilts Could Make More Worlds Habitable New Technique Puts Exoplanets on the Scale

Space Image of the Week Waterton Lake Eclipse Image Credit & Copyright: Yuichi Takasaka / TWAN / )