Space Station Spotting

[slothmeister]

Thanks Elderly,

Tonight was my first ever viewing of the ISS, it's not until I've moved out into the countryside that ive appreciated the night skies a bit more.

Fantastic sight, humbling. Still amazes me that we have men and women living up in space constantly, moving so fast but yet visible to the naked eye. I was amazed at how bright it was, going to have to get some binoc's me thinks.

[Lost_BMW]

Eric Mc said:

Same as me - just thought I'd check the timings and realised a pass was actually happening. I have a pair of 40 x 50s and you can make out the fact that it is not just a point of light.

Do you need to use a tripod for binoculars that powerful?

[Eric Mc]

Lost_BMW said:

Eric Mc said:

Same as me - just thought I'd check the timings and realised a pass was actually happening. I have a pair of 40 x 50s and you can make out the fact that it is not just a point of light.

Do you need to use a tripod for binoculars that powerful?

I've been using binoculers for over 40 years so am very used to holding them steady. The ISS moves too fast to make a tripod practical anyway. I use a tripod if I'm looking at the moon and the stars.

[Lost_BMW]

Eric Mc said:

I've been using binoculers for over 40 years so am very used to holding them steady. The ISS moves too fast to make a tripod practical anyway. I use a tripod if I'm looking at the moon and the stars.

Mmmmm... just thought I'd struggle with something as powerful as a x40 model.

[Eric Mc]

Lost_BMW said:

Mmmmm... just thought I'd struggle with something as powerful as a x40 model.

It is a bit wobbly but I'm so used to them now (I've had them 20 twenty years) that the wobbliness isn't too bad.

They are actually zoom binoculars and can go from x 10 to x 40.

[Eric Mc]

Just a heads up. A Soyuz should be re-entering and landing later on this morning. NASA TV might be showing it live. I'm not sure of the exact timing.

[jmorgan]

Ah, might be around for that if NASA are showing it, a Russian re entry?

[RosscoPCole]

Just been checking for when it is visible online
Apparently there are 5 times on Saturday when the ISS can be spotted and all long (5 minutes plus).
Is this some sort of record?

[Eric Mc]

This is the best time of the year for seeing the ISS in multiple successive passes. The sun isn't that far below the horizon, even at midnight so at 200 miles plus above the ground the ISS is in sunlight for each pass.
I was at a wedding reception a few years ago and I managed to see it three times during the evening. It was fun pointing it out to the other wedding guests each time it came over.

[MartG]

RosscoPCole said:

Apparently there are 5 times on Saturday when the ISS can be spotted and all long (5 minutes plus).

All assuming no cloud of course

[RegMolehusband]

Ive just watched it from Shropshire, 45 deg. above the horizon even though it was directly over Spain

[Eric Mc]

Direct overhead pass in a couple of minutes.

[RegMolehusband]

Watching

[magpie215]

boo overcast here :-(

[odyssey2200]

Thanks for the Heads up!

Good view here!

[RegMolehusband]

Nice. Did you see the bright satellite about 30 deg ahead of it on about the same trajectory?

[Eric Mc]

No - I was watching the ISS through binoculars so that restricted the field of view.

Stellarium shows Cosmos 2084 and Cosmos 1933 went by ahead of the ISS.

Edited by Eric Mc on Thursday 14th June 08:28

[jmorgan]

Of for gawds sake. Working late so missed it, and guess what is heading our way.

[odyssey2200]

jmorgan said:

Of for gawds sake. Working late so missed it, and guess what is heading our way.

Kylothian Battlecruiser?

[jmorgan]

odyssey2200 said:

jmorgan said:

Of for gawds sake. Working late so missed it, and guess what is heading our way.

Kylothian Battlecruiser?

Vogon construction fleet... I am in Wales, it is June.......

http://www.raintoday.co.uk/

Edited by jmorgan on Thursday 14th June 09:50