Valkyrie Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Can't sleep, so checking out the sky at night and found this: ISS Tue Jan 20/06:08 PM 3 (minutes duration) 25 (degree of elevation) 10 above SSW (approach) 23 above SE (departs) The International Space Station will be zipping over Basingstoke at this time tonight. The graph is a bit skewiffy, so here's the link for your own areas. http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/cities/region.cgi?country=United_Kingdom®ion=England Fun for the children to see and before some go to bed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook n Boo Mum Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Gosh , the things you didn't know you needed to know in the wee small hours before dawn May seem a daft question, but would it be visible - if it's not chucking it down with rain as forecast? Sha x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 We often try to catch it on clear nights and it's lovely to see. There's a 3D film about it as well if you have an Imax cinema near you... well worth watching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted January 20, 2009 Author Share Posted January 20, 2009 Yes it is clearly visible, when you know the rough area that it is travelling, but looks like a large star. You need a clear sky def. But there are usually a few days to choose, so if it isn't good one night, try another. When we were in Canada, in Niagara (bit further along the river away from the light pollution) OH made my cousin and her OH look up at the sky for ages. Any second now, er which way is north, er what day is it? He got the wrong day! It's his fault I am up - Mr McSnoresnore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluekarin Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Can't sleep, so checking out the sky at night and found this: ISS Tue Jan 20/06:08 PM 3 (minutes duration) 25 (degree of elevation) 10 above SSW (approach) 23 above SE (departs) The International Space Station will be zipping over Basingstoke at this time tonight. The graph is a bit skewiffy, so here's the link for your own areas. http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/cities/region.cgi?country=United_Kingdom®ion=England Fun for the children to see and before some go to bed. Thank you for posting this. We shall have a look out tonight - I take it it is tonight as it says PM but has the time written as AM *right, where have we put those binoculars?* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 You won't need bins to see it bluekarin - it is quite clear, but you run a risk of missing it as it moves fairly fast. The space station is very bright (about as bright as venus is at the moment) and tracks fairly speedily. It doesn't flash like an aircraft and there's no noise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluekarin Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Excellent, thank you for letting me know Claret Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 If I catch my death of cold through standing in the back garden at 8 minutes past six I shall know who to blame.! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluekarin Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Knowing my luck, I'll remember at 6.30pm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 If I catch my death of cold through standing in the back garden at 8 minutes past six I shall know who to blame.! You should be OK, it's pretty quick and is often repeated later in the evening depending on the timings. Do wrap up though. I was star gazing last night as it was so clear - Orion is very close at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 We saw it a couple of years back Just like a bright moving star, when you have been staring up at the night sky for while as well as a stiff neck you get a real sense of how small you are Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 If you go to the NASA site, they tell you on there who is on board at any time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted January 20, 2009 Author Share Posted January 20, 2009 Egluntine wrote: If I catch my death of cold through standing in the back garden at 8 minutes past six I shall know who to blame.! Thanks for the extra info Claret, it would be interesting to know who's manning the beastie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 I asked my astronomy guru (The Boy) about this and he said that there will be better sightings (weather permitting) later this week and at the weekend as it's not very bright at the moment. The light that you see is the reflection from the station's solar enormous panels and they need to be at the right angle for optimum viewing for peeps on earth. Space station details Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted January 20, 2009 Author Share Posted January 20, 2009 Yes, there are quite a few to choose from to the end of the month, all around 5 - 7 pm. Of course in some areas it can be quite late - I've seen it around midnight before. If you are lucky you might get to see the odd shooting star too. I gather there will be some of them towards the end of the month (but didn't check too closely, so I might be wrong). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 It changes it's course slightly over the 'visible' time and gradually appears for less and less time before disappearing all together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffyfeet Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 I think I can see it - does it look like a large bright star? It is certainly in the right direction although doesn't seem to be moving - maybe it's coming straight at us...............................!?!?!?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickvic Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 We often try to catch it on clear nights and it's lovely to see. There's a 3D film about it as well if you have an Imax cinema near you... well worth watching. I've just seen this (last Wednesday) and I was very impressed. They have the tiniest amount of room to actually live in and they all looked like they were having a whale of a time up there. It does make you feel very small and insignificant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 I think I can see it - does it look like a large bright star?It is certainly in the right direction although doesn't seem to be moving - maybe it's coming straight at us...............................!?!?!?! Errr, that might have been Venus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffyfeet Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 We've had a look thru binoculars and OH reckons he can see 2 oblong shapes on it (I can't!). It is still visible as well and does appear to have moved further away. Has anybody else seen anything? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Darn it. I forgot. Ah well....there's always tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 I think it comes back round again an hour and a half later Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillfamily Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Heavy cloud cover and rain here so I'm hoping to see it tomorrow (weather permitting) :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluekarin Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Knowing my luck, I'll remember at 6.30pm well, guess what. I remembered at 6.15pm. Well, I say I. It was YD. And it was a perfect sky. All clear with lots of stars twinkling away. I will see it tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted January 21, 2009 Author Share Posted January 21, 2009 I forgot too - I was chatting to my brother on the phone and got engrossed with his tales of his first nappy changing episode - he always said he was not ever doing that! Turned out she weed and pooed on him so he didn't have a choice. Harrrrr! So I'm afraid I missed it - but plenty more opportunities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
