Space Station tonight?

[CathJ]

Apparently tonight we'll be able to see the space station passing overhead at 19:45. Anyone know more about it?

I remember seeing it (or was it the shuttle? would that be visible to the naked eye?) many years ago - it's just a bright light passing through the sky, and yet it's incredibly awe-inspiring.

 

[Voicy]

Well there sure is a lot of activity lately...

Monday night we encountered a near-miss by a 47m long asteroid. It missed us by 74,000km. (1/5th the distance from us to the moon)

 

[Oculate]

Well there sure is a lot of activity lately...

Monday night we encountered a near-miss by a 47m long asteroid. It missed us by 74,000km. (1/5th the distance from us to the moon)

Asteriod thread

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That way

 

[acidrain]

Well according to the ISS's current flight path, it doesn't look like its going to be close enough for sighting

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

Infact according to the path, it should be passing africa in about 30min

Edit: It might make it back in time for 19:45, can you maybe give a link with all the details i.e. Compass direction and height above horizon just incase it is gonna happen

 

[Morgoth]

Well there sure is a lot of activity lately...

Monday night we encountered a near-miss by a 47m long asteroid. It missed us by 74,000km. (1/5th the distance from us to the moon)

The US government have a job to entertain us every now and then or els we might end up joining theflatearthsociety.org !

 

[acidrain]

So no details on where its going to be seen

Nvm its gone.. links next time please

 

[zeb]

Just saw it at about 19h50. Travelled at great speed, but I suppose it's cool because I knew what it was.
I waved but don't know if they saw me too

 

[acidrain]

Ye i saw it too (luckily glanced out my window ), nothing spectacular, just a moving star

 

[Crusader]

For the next couple of nights it will be visible every night although the brightness will vary according to your location.
The next very bright pass (for my area) will be on the 6th when it fill reach a brightness of around -1.7 (the smaller the number the brighter it will be).

To find out where you can see it go to the Heavens-Above site and select your location (starting with country and then a box where you can enter your city/town).

Once you have done that, bookmark the page. Your location should now be stored. Then you simply select the 10 day prediction for ISS passes. It will show you a list with dates and times and the magnitude. Clicking on a specific date it will open a page with a chart showing which direction it will go.

Now all you need to do is be outside and looking in the right direction at the right time.

For the lazy ones:
Passes for Cape Town
Passes for Johannesburg (visible twice on the 5th!)
Passes for Durban

 

[gboy]

interesting,

I just met, Dr Greg Olsen 3rd space tourist and col Bill Mcarther, Nasa astronaut
who spent 180 or so days On the ISS and did 4 shuttle fights.

they did a lecture at UPE. very nice.

 

[CathJ]

So no details on where its going to be seen

Nvm its gone.. links next time please

Sorry, that was the only info I had - which is why I posted here, hoping someone else had more info.

And then I forgot about it completely once I got home from work. Sigh.

 

[acidrain]

... 6th when it fill reach a brightness of around -1.7 (the smaller the number the brighter it will be).

Tonights one for CPT was -2.2, tomorrow is -0.5 so doubt its going to be as easily visible as tonights

Telescope woulda been so handy to have for this

 

[Crusader]

The brightness varies according location and within a month or two you'll definitely be able to see it as bright or brighter.

The ISS moves a bit too fast to easily track using a telescope. You need to have the scope pointed in the exact position before the time to catch it.

 

[walterl]

I use this site from Nasa to check for sighting opportunities, and yes, it was visible last night at 19:49 for 3 mins

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/cities/skywatch.cgi?country=South+Africa

There's another good sighting opportunity on Friday evening at 7:09pm for 4 minutes

 

[medicnick83]

I didn't see squat - you people need to give me warnings, like a week in advance... I need to plan this stuff.

 

[The_Pumpkin_King]

will look tonight

point my green laser at them

 

[Alan]

It will no doubt be overcast again tonight here

 

[medicnick83]

With all the 'smoke' / 'smog' in CPT, I probably won't be able to see anything either.

 

[Alan]

With all the 'smoke' / 'smog' in CPT, I probably won't be able to see anything either.

Not cool.

I remember tracking Columbia on it's final voyage. Was the first time I'd tracked the Shuttle and then to see it burn up on T.V . Needless to say I never did it again

 

[The_Pumpkin_King]

i saw it! i saw it!