The Week in Space

September 6-12, 2010

Southern Exposure  The Viking 2 spacecraft, like its twin, Viking 1, was really two spacecraft in one: an orbiter and a lander. Launched thirty-five years ago this week, Viking 2 entered orbit around Mars in August 1976, and the lander touched down at Utopia Planitia the following month. For nearly three years, the Viking 2 orbiter circled Mars in a highly-inclined orbit that allowed it to pass over the Martian poles. In this mosaic of eighteen Viking 2 orbiter images, the south pole of Mars is located just off the lower left edge of the polar cap. The large crater near the right edge is about sixty miles wide. When these images were taken, the south residual polar cap was nearing its final stage of retreat just prior to the spring equinox. It is about 240 miles across and consists mainly of carbon-dioxide frost. 

Image credit: NASA / JPL / USGS

Weekly Calendar

September 6-12, 2010

Holidays - Sky Events - Space History

Monday 6

Labor Day

1947: First rocket launch (V-2) from an aircraft carrier
1983: STS-8 Challenger makes first shuttle night landing

Tuesday 7

1995: STS-69 Endeavour launched

Wednesday 8

Rosh Hashanah begins at sunset

New Moon 6:30 AM ET
Moon at perigee

Thursday 9

Saturn 8° north of Moon

Friday 10

Saturday 11

Mars 5° north of Moon
Venus 0.3° north of Moon
Mercury appears stationary

1877: James Jeans born
1985: International Cometary Explorer satellite probes Comet Giacobini-Zinner (first comet flyby)
1997: Mars Global Surveyor arrives at Mars

Sunday 12

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