In the Sky This Week – February 16, 2021
NASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance rover lands on Thursday Feb. 18th, and NASA is inviting the public to take part in virtual activities and events as the rover nears entry, descent, and landing. Touchdown on Mars is scheduled for approximately 3:55 p.m. EST Thursday! This will be the second landing on Mars using the sky crane maneuver to lower the heavy rover down to the surface.
An illustration of NASA’s Perseverance rover landing safely on Mars. Hundreds of critical events must execute perfectly and exactly on time for the rover to land safely on Feb. 18th. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech
The waxing crescent Moon appears high in the west-southwestern sky after sunset on Feb. 16th.
The Moon appears high in the west-southwestern sky after sunset on Feb. 16th. Credit: Bob Trembley / Stellarium.
The Moon appears near Mars high in the southern sky after sunset on Feb. 18th, then by the star Aldebaran on Feb. 19th and 20th.
Mercury and Saturn appear low above the east-southeastern horizon before dawn this week; by early next week those two planets will be a bit higher above the horizon, and Jupiter will join them.
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- Mercury and Saturn appear low above the east-southeastern horizon before dawn this week. Credit: Bob Trembley / Stellarium.
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- Jupiter, Mercury and Saturn appear low above the east-southeastern horizon early next week (2021-02-22) before dawn this week. Credit: Bob Trembley / Stellarium.
In a previous post, I wondered if a space telescope observing the Sun would catch a glimpse of these planets... sure did!
The Parker Solar Probe team released a two-image mosaic that shows all the inner planets from Mercury to Saturn. I realized that if they could get a good baseline it would allow the solar system to be seen in 3D. Brian May responded with this simulated stereo pair. pic.twitter.com/Bk8XCD1EcC
— Tod R. Lauer (@TodLauer) January 29, 2021
The Moon is a waxing crescent - visible to the southwest in the early evening.
The first quarter Moon occurs on Feb. 19th - visible high in the southern sky in early evening.
After Feb. 19th, the Moon will be a waxing gibbous - visible to the southeast in early evening, and up for most of the night.
The Moon from 2021-02-16 - 2021-02-22 Visualizations by Ernie Wright / NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio.
If you click on the Moon image above, or click this link, you will go to NASA's Moon Phase and Libration, 2021 page - it will show you what the Moon looks like right now. If you click the image on that page, you will download a high-rez TIFF image annotated with the names of prominent features - helpful for logging your lunar observations!
Moon News - Awwwwwwwwww
Dear @NASAMoon,
Happy #ValentinesDay! We’re a perfect fit! 💖🌓☀️
Love,@NASASun pic.twitter.com/hj9ZfLezUb
— NASA Sun & Space (@NASASun) February 14, 2021
The Sun has been spotless for 12 days - that would mean that the "small, as-of-yet unnamed, sunspot rotating into view" from last week faded, and was not named.
The southern coronal hole remains huge, the northern coronal hole is medium-sized with a large tendril stretching down towards the equator; a large coronal hole is rotating into view (left).
The Sun seen in 193 angstroms (extreme ultraviolet) February 15, 2021:
A couple long-lived prominences, with several short-lived prominences popping up all around the limb of the Sun over the last couple days.
The Sun seen in 304 angstroms (extreme ultraviolet) February 15, 2021:
You can view the Sun in near real-time, in multiple frequencies here: SDO-The Sun Now.
You can create your own time-lapse movies of the Sun here: AIA/HMI Browse Data.
You can browse all the SDO images of the Sun from 2010 to the present here: Browse SDO archive.
Solar Activity on Facebook - Run by Volunteer NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador Pamela Shivak
SOLARACTIVITY PICTURE OF THE DAY for February 16, 2021 is this awesome moon/sun composition by Mehmet Ergün. Details: " Moon and Sun ☀️ (Composition) The sun is from yesterday 02/14/2021 Equipment: Fornax F52, Lunt LS80, QHY5iii290m, WO FLT 132, Pentax K1"
Solar Corona
Solar wind speed is 360.5 km/sec, with a density of 15.4 protons/cm3 at 1120 UT.
Near real-time animation of the corona and solar wind from the Solar & Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO):
Animated LASCO C2 Coronograph showing the solar corona above the Sun's limb (the white circle). Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech-SOHO
Sun News: Animation of Cosmic Rays and the Heliopause
This animation shows how variations in the size of the heliosphere affect how many cosmic rays reach Earth. As the heliosphere expands, it blocks more cosmic rays, and as it contracts, more cosmic rays get through and can affect astronauts and satellites. - NASA
Potentially hazardous asteroids: 2170 (updated 2021-02-16)
Total Minor Planets discovered (NASA): 1,059,992 (+11,666)
Total Minor Planets discovered (MPC): 1,026,572 (This value has not been updated in months)
Upcoming Earth-asteroid encounters:
| Asteroid |
Date(UT)
|
Miss Distance
|
Velocity (km/s)
|
Diameter (m)
|
| 2021 BS3 |
2021-Feb-16
|
17.3 LD
|
10.4
|
63
|
| 2021 CZ7 |
2021-Feb-16
|
3.2 LD
|
9.2
|
8
|
| 2021 BM |
2021-Feb-17
|
6 LD
|
2.9
|
31
|
| 2021 CH5 |
2021-Feb-17
|
12.2 LD
|
9
|
16
|
| 2021 CD5 |
2021-Feb-18
|
12 LD
|
14.9
|
26
|
| 2020 CX1 |
2021-Feb-18
|
4.9 LD
|
8.3
|
56
|
| 2021 CM1 |
2021-Feb-18
|
18.2 LD
|
6.4
|
27
|
| 2021 CU8 |
2021-Feb-18
|
3.1 LD
|
12.7
|
7
|
| 2021 CE8 |
2021-Feb-19
|
7.5 LD
|
12.2
|
9
|
| 2021 CP7 |
2021-Feb-19
|
6.3 LD
|
10.4
|
9
|
| 2021 CB8 |
2021-Feb-19
|
8.3 LD
|
11.4
|
10
|
| 2021 CO4 |
2021-Feb-19
|
15.8 LD
|
19.1
|
59
|
| 2021 CW2 |
2021-Feb-19
|
12.3 LD
|
3.8
|
10
|
| 2021 CU3 |
2021-Feb-20
|
16.1 LD
|
25.9
|
98
|
| 2021 CC2 |
2021-Feb-20
|
16.5 LD
|
4.4
|
94
|
| 2021 CR3 |
2021-Feb-20
|
19 LD
|
23
|
106
|
| 2020 BV9 |
2021-Feb-22
|
14.7 LD
|
7.6
|
25
|
| 2020 XU6 |
2021-Feb-22
|
10.7 LD
|
8.4
|
222
|
| 2021 CC5 |
2021-Feb-22
|
18.1 LD
|
10.4
|
44
|
| 2015 EQ |
2021-Feb-23
|
18 LD
|
10.5
|
21
|
| 2021 CH8 |
2021-Feb-23
|
13 LD
|
9.8
|
38
|
| 2011 DW |
2021-Mar-01
|
13.9 LD
|
13.6
|
89
|
| 2011 EH17 |
2021-Mar-02
|
9.6 LD
|
16.8
|
43
|
| 2016 DV1 |
2021-Mar-02
|
3.9 LD
|
18.4
|
39
|
| 1999 RM45 |
2021-Mar-02
|
7.7 LD
|
20
|
468
|
| 2020 SP |
2021-Mar-03
|
18.4 LD
|
3.9
|
14
|
| 2021 CN3 |
2021-Mar-05
|
11.2 LD
|
3.8
|
18
|
| 2021 CF8 |
2021-Mar-05
|
11.6 LD
|
11.9
|
53
|
| 535844 |
2021-Mar-10
|
14.2 LD
|
7.3
|
162
|
| 2021 CF6 |
2021-Mar-10
|
4.2 LD
|
8.4
|
64
|
| 2020 FM |
2021-Mar-10
|
18.2 LD
|
13.3
|
57
|
| 2011 YW10 |
2021-Mar-12
|
19.8 LD
|
13.2
|
45
|
| 2021 CX8 |
2021-Mar-15
|
18.2 LD
|
6.6
|
50
|
| 231937 |
2021-Mar-21
|
5.3 LD
|
34.4
|
1024
|
| 2021 CX5 |
2021-Mar-27
|
7.7 LD
|
5.6
|
49
|
| 2020 GE |
2021-Mar-27
|
12.7 LD
|
1.5
|
8
|
| 2019 GM1 |
2021-Mar-31
|
15.1 LD
|
3.9
|
14
|
| 2015 MB54 |
2021-Apr-06
|
13.6 LD
|
3.7
|
59
|
| 2020 GE1 |
2021-Apr-07
|
12.2 LD
|
4.2
|
14
|
| 2014 FO38 |
2021-Apr-07
|
16.8 LD
|
8.3
|
20
|
| 2020 UY1 |
2021-Apr-15
|
16 LD
|
8.7
|
22
|
Notes: LD means "Lunar Distance." 1 LD = 384,401 km, the distance between Earth and the Moon. Red highlighted entries are asteroids that either pass very close, or very large with high relative velocities to the Earth. Table from SpaceWeather.com
Asteroid News: Remember Chelyabinsk! 2013-02-15.
On February 15, 2021, the NASA All Sky Fireball Network reported 6 fireballs!
(6 sporadics)
In this diagram of the inner solar system, all of the fireball orbits intersect at a single point--Earth. The orbits are color-coded by velocity, from slow (red) to fast (blue). Credit: SpaceWeather.com
Fireball News
WATCH: A meteor lit up the night sky in Melbourne, Australia on Sunday. The meteor is thought to be not much bigger than a marble but appeared visible due to the fast speed it was traveling, at up to 25 miles per second. pic.twitter.com/KekaOzadkn
— CBS News (@CBSNews) February 15, 2021
If you see a bright meteor or a fireball, please REPORT IT to the American Meteor Society and the International Meteor Organization!
Position of the planets and several spacecraft in the inner solar system:
Position of the planets and a couple spacecraft in the inner solar system, 2021-02-16. Credit: Bob Trembley / NASA Eyes on the Solar System.
The Parker Solar Probe will fly-by Venus on Feb. 20th:
Simulation of the NASA's Parker Solar Probe as it flies-by Venus on 2021-02-20. Credit: Bob Trembley / NASA Eyes on the Solar System.
Orbit of NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover as it approaches Mars; the rover is getting close enough to Mars the the orbits of other spacecraft around Mars have started to resolve in the NASA Eyes app.
Simulation of the orbit of NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover on 2021-02-16 as it approaches Mars. Inset: Disk of Mars just visible in the distance as seen from the spacecraft.
Credit: Bob Trembley / NASA Eyes on the Solar System.
Position of the planets in the middle solar system:
Position of the planets in the middle solar system, 2021-02-16. Credit: Bob Trembley / NASA Eyes on the Solar System.
Position of the planets, dwarf planets and some transneptunian objects in the outer solar system:
Position of the planets and many transneptunian objects in the outer solar system, 2021-02-16. Credit: Bob Trembley / NASA Eyes on the Solar System.
Mars Perseverance Rover: #CountdownToMars
IEEEEE! Only 3 Mars Marbles left! We've moved one between the jars each day of cruise. pic.twitter.com/OcgckZLqlY
— LongHairNasaGuy (@LongHairNasaGuy) February 16, 2021
Reminder: Check out NASA's M2020 EDL simulation!! https://eyes.nasa.gov/apps/mars2020/
International Space Station:
And we have liftoff! Russia's Progress 77 resupply ship lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan and is en route to the International Space Station. https://t.co/cBNqC5JGaz pic.twitter.com/Md72TjLXif
— International Space Station (@Space_Station) February 15, 2021
HiRISE - on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter:
HiPOD 15 Feb 21: Bright and Dark Dunes
This image shows a large sand dune with bright patches. Martian dunes near the poles often have bright patches in the spring, when seasonal frost is lingering.
More: https://t.co/KyV8Dg8dAq
NASA/JPL/UArizona#Mars #science pic.twitter.com/EtCJRfrgHA
— HiRISE: Beautiful Mars (NASA) (@HiRISE) February 15, 2021
Spacecraft named after Katherine Johnson: #Cygnus
The #Cygnus spacecraft launching from Wallops to the @Space_Station on Feb. 20 is named after @NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson, who pushed boundaries and continues to inspire girls in STEM today. #WomenInScience Day #BlackHistoryMonth
Learn more: https://t.co/lrPu2mF2UI pic.twitter.com/P5Rg9K2Oeb
— NASA Wallops (@NASA_Wallops) February 11, 2021
Hubble Space Telescope:
📷 This is NGC 6397, a globular cluster, glittering with the light from hundreds of thousands of stars, seen by the NASA/ESA @HUBBLE_space Telescope 👉 https://t.co/ySVuA1LX9l pic.twitter.com/l1QSaOpgmK
— ESA (@esa) February 13, 2021
Climate:
Educators, need a simplified explanation of the greenhouse effect to teach your students? NASA's Climate Kids has a video and article laying it out. https://t.co/eQvH7yMAWD
— NASA Climate (@NASAClimate) February 12, 2021
Dr. Miner is a @NASAJPL scientist working on @NASAClimate research as part of the joint @NASAEarth/@ESA Arctic Methane & Permafrost Challenge.
As temps rise, the perpetually frozen layer of soil begins to thaw, releasing methane & other greenhouse gases: https://t.co/JkHuilgs0C https://t.co/S5Oy2UyNLZ
— Thomas Zurbuchen (@Dr_ThomasZ) February 12, 2021
See a list of current NASA missions here: https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/?type=current
ex·o·plan·et /ˈeksōˌplanət/, noun: a planet orbiting a star other than the Sun.
Data from the NASA Exoplanet Archive
* Confirmed Planets Discovered by TESS refers to the number planets that have been published in the refereed astronomical literature.
* TESS Project Candidates refers to the total number of transit-like events that appear to be astrophysical in origin, including false positives as identified by the TESS Project.
* TESS Project Candidates Yet To Be Confirmed refers to the number of TESS Project Candidates that have not yet been dispositioned as a Confirmed Planet or False Positive.
Exoplanet News
✨Discovery Alert: New Worlds in a River of Young Stars!✨
The system is in the newly discovered Pisces-Eridanus stream of stars less than 3% the age of our solar system. Two distant stellar companions likely circle each other far beyond the planets. https://t.co/ito21jg247 pic.twitter.com/o9UGjM9Zs0— NASA Exoplanets (@NASAExoplanets) February 12, 2021
This illustration sketches out the main features of TOI 451, a triple-planet system located 400 light-years away in the constellation Eridanus. Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
WOW look at what just happened over the streets of Tromsø a few minutes ago! 😱 So great to be living in Arctic 🇳🇴@StormHour @TamithaSkov @chunder10 @visitnorway @SnowHour @B_Ubiquitous @INSVideos @SpaceToday1 @dartanner @treetanner @halocme @nenecallas pic.twitter.com/4ca5AhWzXv
— Night Lights (@NightLights_AM) February 15, 2021
SpaceWeather.com Realtime Aurora Gallery: https://spaceweathergallery.com/aurora_gallery.html
In today's @Telegraph: a nice feature on dark skies & @IDADarkSky parks in the UK. I spoke to them about the importance of light pollution on carbon emissions, climate change and human health, and what my vision is for @darkskylondon. 🌃✨ https://t.co/Ke7gcf67Hm pic.twitter.com/Kxe3wxScer
— megan eaves (@megoizzy) February 14, 2021
Visit an International Dark Sky Park: https://www.darksky.org/our-work/conservation/idsp/parks/
For Students:
There's still time to join @NASA's Mission to Mars Student Challenge and land with @NASAPersevere – NEXT WEEK (Feb. 18)!
Register now to get an education plan for landing week, plus take part in live Q&As for students as we #CountdownToMars!https://t.co/qEIT89zRFB
— NASAJPL Edu (@NASAJPL_Edu) February 11, 2021
Hubble: Beautiful Universe
M1-63. Image credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, L. Stanghellini
This image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope features an impressive portrait of M1-63, a beautifully captured example of a bipolar planetary nebula located in the constellation of Scutum (the Shield). A nebula like this one is formed when the star at its center sheds huge quantities of material from its outer layers, leaving behind a spectacular cloud of gas and dust.
It is believed that a binary system of stars at the center of the bipolar nebula is capable of creating hourglass or butterfly-like shapes like the one in this image. This is because the material from the shedding star is funneled toward its poles, with the help of the companion, creating the distinctive double-lobed structure seen in nebulae such as M1-63. - NASA.
SpaceEngine Work in Progress - 3D Rings using Raymarching:
3D rings using raymarching, WIP in #SpaceEngine. Sextillion (1E21) particles down to 1 meter in size. pic.twitter.com/bQ1ntNLd4D
— Vladimir Romanyuk (@SpaceEngineSim) February 15, 2021
What I was listening to while writing this post:
Cover Image: Artist's illustration of Mars Perseverance descent to Mars, the spacecraft containing NASA’s Perseverance rover slows down using the drag generated by its motion in the Martian atmosphere. Hundreds of critical events must execute perfectly and exactly on time for the rover to land on Mars safely on Feb. 18, 2021. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech.
Stay safe, be well, and look up!
Software Apps used for this post:
NASA Eyes on the Solar System: an immersive 3D solar system and space mission simulator - free for the PC /MAC. I maintain the unofficial NASA Eyes Facebook page.
Universe Sandbox: a space simulator that merges real-time gravity, climate, collision, and material interactions to reveal the beauty of our universe and the fragility of our planet. Includes VR support.
SpaceEngine: a free 3D Universe Simulator for Windows. Steam version with VR support available.
Stellarium: a free open source planetarium app for PC/MAC/Linux. It's a great tool for planning observing sessions. A web-based version of Stellarium is also available.
Section header image credits:
The Sky - Stellarium / Bob Trembley
Observing Target - Turn Left at Orion / M. Skirvin
The Moon - NASA/JPL-Caltech
The Sun - NASA/JPL-Caltech
Asteroids - NASA/JPL-Caltech
Fireballs - Credited to YouTube
Comets - Comet P/Halley, March 8, 1986, W. Liller
The Solar System - NASA Eyes on the Solar System / Bob Trembley
Spacecraft News - NASA Eyes on the Solar System / Bob Trembley
Exoplanets - Space Engine / Bob Trembley
Light Pollution - NASA's Black Marble
Aurora - Bob Trembley
The Universe - Universe Today