International Space Station

Glaucus · 21 Mar 2007 at 19:58

droolinggimp said:
Would it move THAT fast for us to actaully see it move within a few minutes.?

yep you should see it moving in seconds not minutes. Although i could be wrong.

Droolinggimp · 21 Mar 2007 at 19:59

Just had a look out of my window and it seems as though its got a little lower towards the horizon. Maybe its the ISS?

Anyone got any idea what we can use to check what is viewable in the sky from my position?

Mr Mag00 · 21 Mar 2007 at 19:59

Tracker

here it is this is good once youve added what u wan to look at?! :rolleyes:

Droolinggimp · 21 Mar 2007 at 20:01

Mr Mag00 said:
Tracker

here it is this is good once youve added what u wan to look at?!

Whats the ISS called?

calnen · 21 Mar 2007 at 20:01

droolinggimp said:
Anyone got any idea what we can use to check what is viewable in the sky from my position?

A program called 'Cybersky' is the best basic astronomy tool IMO, but I dont think it comes with satellites on as standard. I'm sure you could find a database somewhere with the orbits, but it would probably be easier to work out how to use the NASA thing

Mr Mag00 · 21 Mar 2007 at 20:03

if you config, select human crew and the add ISS ZARYA, its nowhere near us you can also add the shuttle when its up, and i use it to i think spot one of the last shuttle flights late one night

Fusion · 21 Mar 2007 at 20:03

droolinggimp said:
Just had a look out of my window and it seems as though its got a little lower towards the horizon. Maybe its the ISS?

Anyone got any idea what we can use to check what is viewable in the sky from my position?

Posted an interactive skychart. Everything will be moving closer to the horizon, due to the Earth's rotation. In another two hours it won't be visible.

Droolinggimp · 21 Mar 2007 at 20:07

Mr Mag00 said:
if you config, select human crew and the add ISS ZARYA, its nowhere near us you can also add the shuttle when its up, and i use it to i think spot one of the last shuttle flights late one night

Your right its near Argentina.. we wouldnt be able to see it..

Tachyon · 21 Mar 2007 at 20:07

Edit: Starry Night Enthusiast used for image.

5ingh · 21 Mar 2007 at 20:08

This is what I'm seeing. Sorry for the poor camera phone pics

Droolinggimp · 21 Mar 2007 at 20:09

What you using for that picture?

For post above yours..

Mr Mag00 · 21 Mar 2007 at 20:10

very very unlikely that is the ISS 5ingh, normally its the brightest thing in the sky, lilkely to be venus.

Tachyon · 21 Mar 2007 at 20:12

droolinggimp said:
What you using for that picture?

For post above yours..

Sorry gimp, edited my post, forgot to put the software in. I've added it now.

5ingh · 21 Mar 2007 at 20:13

Mr Mag00 said:
very very unlikely that is the ISS 5ingh, normally its the brightest thing in the sky, lilkely to be venus.

It is bright and does stand out from normal 'stars'. I think its Venus if you compare the position to the previous picture.

Mr Mag00 · 21 Mar 2007 at 20:14

The ISS is currently south of the Cape of Good Hope

Droolinggimp · 21 Mar 2007 at 20:19

Anyway back OT

Can we see the ISS if we had a telescope? I mean, can we see the crew looking out of the windows. :cool:

if we could.

What version of Starry Night you got Tachyon? Just looking at the website now.. very tempted.

EDIT: found this.. It moves very fast. http://dwarmstr.blogspot.com/2006/10/international-space-station-pass-seen.html

VaderDSL · 21 Mar 2007 at 20:27

droolinggimp said:
Would it move THAT fast for us to actaully see it move within a few minutes.?

Yes, it is travelling at what over 7km/s for sure.

I've seen it numerous times, thing is, if the solar panels aren't orientated correctly to catch the sun and reflect the light, you will have trouble seeing it in all reality.

When it catches the light it is extraordinarily bright, brightest thing in the sky by far, maybe not as bright as a hunters moon.

It does move fast, probably talking 45 seconds or more to traverse the your viewpoint, depending if it's low in the sky, or passing above

http://www.heavens-above.com/ is a good site

Try and catch an Iridium flare, they are quite something, I've seen severalm none in the day yet. First time I saw a relatively fast moving dot in the sky, a satellite. It was moving overhead and was very dim, all of a sudden it flashed extraordinarily bright, brighter than the brightests star and moon

and then was back to being very dim again. Due to the old now defunct iridium telecommunications network, their satellites now orbit dead and tumbling afaik. Every now and again the satellite(s) tumbles in such a way as the [Edit - I was wrong about the solar panels, it's another part of the satellite that glints in the sun], and you see a flash (an Iridium Flare).

Mr Mag00 · 21 Mar 2007 at 20:29

Iridium flare

, hey ive seen those, cool

Tachyon · 21 Mar 2007 at 20:29

droolinggimp said:
Anyway back OT Can we see the ISS if we had a telescope? I mean, can we see the crew looking out of the windows. if we could.

What version of Starry Night you got Tachyon? Just looking at the website now.. very tempted.

EDIT: found this.. It moves very fast. http://dwarmstr.blogspot.com/2006/10/international-space-station-pass-seen.html

The version I'm using is Starry Night Enthusiast 4.5. It's a few years old now, I'm not sure what the latest versions have but when you start it up it updates any comet positions etc...

I've found it really useful if your anyway interested in the night sky as you can put in your location & then go outside & you've a good idea what your looking at.

D.P. · 21 Mar 2007 at 20:30

droolinggimp said:
Very bright if it is. Not saying your wrong but I would presume the ISS would be the brightest thing in the night sky due to it being the closest.

The sun is quite bright and that is a fair bit further away than the ISS, as is the moon.

Venus it most probably is.