Secret Space Plane Flares

Source - Space Weather News for April 1, 2011: http://spaceweather.com

SPACE PLANE FLARES: The US Air Force X-37B space plane is circling Earth on a classified mission. Although its orbit is officially unpublished, amateur sky watchers have spotted it and are monitoring its progress. This week, a veteran observer witnessed a spectacular flare from the X-37B, exceeding the brightness of Venus. Details may be found on today's edition of http://spaceweather.com.

Bonus: You can turn your cell phone into a space plane tracker by downloading our field-tested Simple Flybys app: http://simpleflybys.com.

SATURN'S RINGS SURGE IN BRIGHTNESS: This weekend, Saturn will be at opposition--that is, opposite the sun in the skies of Earth. Whenever this happens, Saturn's rings surge in brightness due to backscattering of sunlight. Even a small telescope will show the effect. Visit http://spaceweather.com for observing tips and a sky map.