Space News Update - December 31, 2013 -

1. Space News Update - December 31, 2013 - • In the News • Story 1: AAS Meeting Highlights Several New Hubble Science Findings • Story 2:Rebooting 'Cosmos': Neil DeGrasse Tyson Explains Why Iconic TV Series Returns in 2014 • Story 3:Europe Eyes Cooperation on Dream Chaser Space Plane • Departments • The Night Sky • ISS Sighting OpportunitiesSpace Calendar • NASA-TV Highlights • Food for Thought • Space Image of the Week

2. AAS Meeting Highlights Several New Hubble Science Findings

3. Rebooting 'Cosmos': Neil DeGrasse Tyson Explains Why Iconic TV Series Returns in 2014

4. Europe Eyes Cooperation on Dream Chaser Space Plane

5. The Night Sky • Tuesday, January 14 • Jupiter shines left of the nearly full Moon early this evening. Ganymede, the largest and brightest moon of Jupiter itself, slowly emerges out of eclipse from Jupiter's shadow around 10:21 p.m. EST. With a telescope, watch for this happening just off Jupiter's eastern limb. • Wednesday, January 15 • Full Moon (exact at 11:52 p.m. EST). This is the smallest full Moon of 2014. Jupiter shines above it in early evening. As the evening grows late, Jupiter swings to the Moon's upper right. • Thursday, January 16 • As the Moon climbs up in the east, spot Procyon to its upper right, bright Jupiter higher above them, and Sirius far right of the Moon in the southeast, under Orion. • Friday, January 17 • As the stars come out, face north and look very high overhead for Cassiopeia, oriented now like a flattened letter M. As the night proceeds, it swings down in the northwest tilting sideways. • Saturday, January 18 • This the Big Dipper's time of year to swing up from the low north-northeast after dusk to stand on its handle in the northeast by about 9 p.m. Sky & Telescope

6. ISS Sighting Opportunities ISS For Denver: Sighting information for other cities can be found at NASA’s Satellite Sighting Information

7. 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) • January 14, Tuesday • 6:40 a.m. - ISS Expedition 38 In-Flight Event for JAXA with Wakata for the Young Astronauts Club - JSC (All Channels) • January 16, Thursday • 12 p.m. - ISS Expedition 38 In-Flight Event with the Houston Chronicle and Sirius XM Radio - JSC (All Channels) Watch NASA TV online by going to the NASA website

8. Space Calendar • • Jan 14 - Cassini, Orbital Trim Maneuver #401 (OTM-401) • • Jan 14 - Comet 201P/LONEOS Perihelion (1.339 AU) • • Jan 14 - Comet 15P/Finlay Closest Approach To Earth (1.393 AU) • • Jan 14 - Comet 245P/WISE At Opposition (4.661 AU) • • Jan 14 - Comet C/2013 G9 (Tenagra) Perihelion (5.338 AU) • • Jan 14 - Asteroid 6318 Cronkite Closest Approach To Earth (0.966 AU) • • Jan 14 - Asteroid 10806 Mexico Closest Approach To Earth (2.049 AU) • • Jan 14 -10th Anniversary (2005), Huygens Probe, Titan Landing • • Jan 15 -Asteroid 2007 EC Near-Earth Flyby (0.074 AU) • • Jan 15 -Asteroid 9325 Stonehenge Closest Approach To Earth (1.328 AU) • • Jan 15 -Asteroid 22521 ZZ Top Closest Approach To Earth (1.509 AU) • • Jan 15 -Asteroid 8992 Magnanimity Closest Approach To Earth (1.854 AU) • • Jan 16 -Asteroid 9998 ISO Closest Approach To Earth (1.199 AU) • • Jan 16 - Asteroid 13606 Bean Closest Approach To Earth (1.652 AU) • • Jan 17 -Asteroid 4969 Lawrence Closest Approach To Earth (1.171 AU) • • Jan 17 -Asteroid 90022 Apache Point Closest Approach To Earth (1.293 AU) • • Jan 17 -Asteroid 8444 Popovich Closest Approach To Earth (1.686 AU) • • Jan 17 -Asteroid 27500 Mandelbrot Closest Approach To Earth (2.278 AU) • • Jan 17 -Asteroid 14702 Benclark Closest Approach To Earth (2.316 AU) • • Jan 18 -Asteroid 336698 Melbourne Closest Approach To Earth (2.096 AU) JPL Space Calendar

9. Food for Thought Hubble Views Stellar Genesis in the Southern Pinwheel

10. Space Image of the Week Hubble Sees a Star Set to Explode Credit: ESA/NASA, acknowledgement: Nick Rose.