International Space Station and Space Shuttle flyover tonight

[kimsdad]

Sorry for the non-MD post, but I think this is a cool thing to do, and someone else might enjoy this too.

Anyone interested in checking out the ISS & shuttle there are a couple of good evening viewing dates this week from Illinois. If you're lucky, you'll be able to catch the Shuttle chasing the ISS across the sky on its way to dock with it. We're all paying for it, so enjoy the show.

Date Start time Peak time End time
16 Mar 7:46:15 7:49:08 7:51:35 53 degrees up from horizon at peak (at my location)

Ground track map:
http://www.heavens-above.com/gtrack...=213&loc=Arlington+Heights&TZ=CST&satid=25544

Date Start time Peak time End time
17 Mar 8:13:26 8:16:17 8:18:13 18 45 degrees up from horizon at peak (at my location)


Ground track map:
http://www.heavens-above.com/gtrack...=213&loc=Arlington+Heights&TZ=CST&satid=25544

OR

You can go here and enter your location, then go to the ISS page to see dates and times of the flyover. Pick a date, then go to the ground track map to see its path along the ground.

http://www.heavens-above.com/

Good for predicting Iridium flares, comets, satelites, etc.

 

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[Brett]

Did you see it?? I went out there and didn't see jack diddly. How bright was it vs. some of the stars in Orion's Belt if you did see it.

 

[kimsdad]

Hi Brett! The ISS looks like a very bright star that's moving. It's the newly set sun gleaming off of the solar panels and all the shiny surfaces. It crossed from SW to NE tonight. I did see it. The shuttle will be a similar bright light trailing behind the ISS. It hasn't caught up to it yet and didn't come into view. Tomorrow night will be more promising to see both. I think it's going to dock on Wed evening, but it's supposed to rain, isn't it?

You can also see both as separate dots when they undock if the orbit over our area coincides with early nightime hours.

The orbits are timed to the second, so you have to make sure that you have the right time on your watch, or use any clock that updates itself from the government radio time signal.

Here's a good time link: http://www.time.gov/

Start time is when they are visible at least 10 degrees above the horizon. You probably won't see them right then, but you should see them sometime before peak time. Sounds like a lot of nonsense, but if you ever see them flying together, it's a neat feeling. Good luck if you try it again!

Here's how it will track over the ground tomorrow in relation to you:

 

[rmptr]

Thanks for posting!

All I could get was the 1 page...and it wouldn't go anywhere else.

I'll try to track it down for us on the west coast.

Looks like it might have been visible for some of us, too.

Cool stuff!

rmptr

 

[Brett]

Thanks Kimsdad! The reason I didn't see it was because my Dad told me to look SE! instead of SW! bah. Maybe tomorrow we'll see it.

 

[Lowbatts]

If you're not using some good field glasses or binoculars then it might be hard to make out until it nears zenith. It moves slowly across the sky and I've seen many of them from my backyard late at night, but usually only within about 10 degrees either side of zenith due to light pollution.

 

[kimsdad]

Yeah, it depends where you are for light pollution. I have all kinds of suburban lights around me, and I'm able to see it pretty good. Last night we were able to see it across 60-70% of the sky. The magnitude table will give you a little idea of how bright it is from night to night, but the lower the number, the brighter it will be. Tonight's will not be as bright as last night. Wed will be brighter, but if it rains there will be clouds.

 

[jeff of pa]

Space shuttle scanner frequencies

http://www.ku4ay.net/scanner/shuttle.html

 

[mikewaz]

I saw the space station both nights. I saw something next to it, but I think it was one of the solar panels giving it an odd shape. Boy, it sure was cranking going across the sky. I guess it's gonna be a lot brighter once they finish installing the other panels.
Mike