[DeTomaso] NPC: Space-station flyover TUESDAY NITE

steven.liebenow at att.net steven.liebenow at att.net
Tue Aug 5 18:28:58 EDT 2008


Guys, for you NorCal and somewhat nearby!
Steve



> Subject: Space-station flyover
> 
> Ever seen a space station go flying by?
> 
> If you want to do so, there's a great opportunity coming up Tuesday
> evening.
> 
> The International Space Station is in an orbital pattern which is
> bringing it over the SF Bay area during the evenings, an hour or two
> after sunset.  Although it's more than 300 miles up, it's quite easy to
> see - no telescope or binoculars are needed.
> 
> The best pass this week will be Tuesday evening, just after 9:30 PM.
> The station will pass almost directly overhead, and will have a visual
> magnitude of -3.0 ("very bright").  If you've looked towards the
> southward sky recently, and seen blue-white Jupiter shining there...
> well, that's about how bright the ISS will be when it goes over on
> Tuesday evening.
> 
> For Tuesday's flyover:  set your wristwatch alarm for 9:30 PM (check the
> watch against your TiVo!), and when it goes off, go outside.  Look in a
> west-northwest direction (pretty much where the sun had set at 8:15, I
> think).  The ISS will rise above the horizon at 9:35, and will pass
> almost directly overhead at 9:37:29.  The most visible part of the
> flyover, with the ISS high in the sky above us, lasts only a minute or
> so.
> 
> What you'll see is a bright, whitish dot, moving fairly rapidly against
> the background of whatever stars are visible at the time.
> It's a bit like a brightly lit airplane, but you won't see the flashing
> of on-the-wing strobe lights (the ISS hasn't any!) and of course there's
> no sound of engines.
> 
> There's also a visible orbit this evening (Monday), but it won't be as
> far above the horizon and the sky will still be fairly bright, and so it
> may not as visible or easy to spot.  It'll be to the north of us (look
> north-northwest starting at 9:09) and will reach a height of 25 degrees
> above the horizon at 9:11:31.
> 
> Happy viewing!
> 








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