A friend brought to our attention the fact that the International Space Station would be visible in its orbit around the earth this week, so after supper tonight we all ran out to watch the sky. We saw it! At Heavens Above you can chart the times of visibility for your city or coordinates:
Under "Configuration" find your location by selecting it from the map. Click where you live. Now scroll down, and below the map enter the name of your town if you like, and correct time zone. Now click "Submit".
Under "Satellites", click on 10 day prediction for ISS. The next page is a chart that tells you the dates and times of the space station's visibility from where you are, its magnitude (the lower the number, the brighter it will appear), the height at which it will first appear in degrees from the horizon, and the compass direction in which you should first look for it. The chart will also tell you how long the ISS will appear in the sky, the angle at which it will reach its maximum altitude, and where it will again fade away into the earth's shadow.
The space station is only visible for a few minutes, so search quickly for it!
Little boys (and big boys, maybe even girls!) will love this tour of the inside of the International Space Station, as well:
[youtube]H8rHarp1GEE[/youtube]
(Sorry about the music.)
very cool! I hadn't heard of this-thank you! Holly
ReplyDeleteNeat! So around 7:45 - &:47 tonight we should be able to see it, pending too many clouds. I'll try to remember that. Thanks for the info.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this tip and i have to say thank you for the instructions on how to work the website...not savvy on the space talk!! if i can get a good look from here in the burbs i will post about it on my blog, too!
ReplyDeleteWe didn't see it this time, but in the spring (I think it was spring) it was visible and we saw it then. Pretty cool, huh? :)
ReplyDeleteJoAnn
Yes, Jane, and up your way it will be REALLY bright. I hope the clouds cooperate for you!
ReplyDeleteThanks for letting me know about this. Since I steer clear of most news I had no idea. The video was an awesome touch and I love that last photo!
ReplyDeleteWe won't be able to view here in Alaska... thanks for posting though so we could check and see.
ReplyDeleteLooks like we can't see it either but way cool! Wow it must be something to look up to Heaven and see with your own eye the space station!!
ReplyDeleteOh no, I forgot. I remembered way before and just a few minutes after. Pooh!
ReplyDeleteHi JoAnn, yes it is cool! We have a friend here who is VERY into this stuff. He sends us photos of the Pelican Nebula and whatever else, and all sorts of stuff that just looks like pretty lights to me. lol. Makes me wonder how the heavens will be rolled up as a scroll. :D
ReplyDeleteI love the 'there it is!' photo!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your sharing. The theme of your blog is really very beautiful, do you design it yourself? I like it very much; I will keep visiting your other blogs and do hope you can release more blogs.
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