International Space Station - DPChallenge Forums

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

12/19/2006 07:59:04 PM · #1

Someone had sent me this link a few days ago, and I was surprised to see that the International Space Station is visible to us here in Pennsylvania nearly every night!

I forgot about it until it was too late last night, but I was poised for it tonight, and thankfully it was beautifully clear here. That link will tell you exactly when and where to find the ISS, and it was right on the money tonight. I took a few shots of it as it passed over (I did this as a 4-second exposure -- it's only visible for a couple minutes as it moves across the sky):

Granted, it's not the most exciting shot I've ever seen, but even my wife (who isn't usually too interested in such things) and my daughter thought it was really exciting to watch it pass over, and to imagine what the view must have been like from that little dot that was passing over us in the sky!

strangeghost

Canon EOS-7D

12/19/2006 08:01:11 PM · #2

Did you catch this thread from this morning?

Sigma 15mm f/2.8 EX Diagonal Fisheye for Nikon

12/19/2006 08:20:38 PM · #3

Originally posted by strangeghost:

Did you catch this thread from this morning?

I did now! :)

muckpond

Nikon D200

12/19/2006 08:30:16 PM · #4

that's awesome. i wonder if we'd be able to see it here in the "big" city?

i know absolutely nothing about astrostuff. how do i translate this information for my next sighting?

Azimuth: Deg E of N: 285.5
Elevation: Deg: 27.6
Range: Miles: 415
Solar Alt: Deg: 11.0
Solar Sep: Deg: 52.7
SRSS: Deg: -11.1

how would i find it? i know where north is! :)

MelonMusketeer

Nikon D7000

Nikon MF 50mm f/1.4

12/19/2006 08:40:44 PM · #5

//spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/cities/view.cgi?country=United_States®ion=Florida&city=Fort_Myers

Try this, then put your town in or zip code. I think you can get here from the link posted at the first post.

strangeghost

Canon EOS-7D

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

12/19/2006 08:42:16 PM · #6

Size of city doesn't matter. When it's bright, it looks like a bright star crossing the sky (takes about 2 minutes to do an average pass).

Your info tells you to look a little north of west (270 is straight west) and at an elevation of 27 deg. Doesn't say what time though, I'm assuming that info was given too.

For a better prediction site, check out Heavens Above. Input your location and get predictions for the ISS, Hubble, any bright satellite, or even better, the brilliant Iridium Flares.

MelonMusketeer

Nikon D7000

Nikon MF 50mm f/1.4

12/19/2006 08:44:28 PM · #7

Yes, it's the same site, navigate by the country, then the rest of your location.
10 deg above the horizon would be about the width of your hand with fingers and thumb out wide, and at arms length.

muckpond

Nikon D200

Sigma 15mm f/2.8 EX Diagonal Fisheye for Nikon

12/19/2006 08:47:31 PM · #8

snazzy! i'm going to try this out tomorrow!

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

12/19/2006 09:12:56 PM · #9

I caught it and the shuttle both *twice* tonight! Once at 5:01 PM, and again at 6:35 PM. The first pass, to our east, the shuttle and ISS were already undocked, and visible as two separate dots in very close proximity, like a double star. the second pass, to our west, they were widely separated, perhaps 1.5 or 2 degrees.
Tomorrow night, the ISS passes directly overhead here, but I don't know if weather will allow viewing.

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

12/19/2006 09:26:44 PM · #10

Very cool! I was trying to discern whether I could tell that they were separated, but my eyes just aren't THAT good. My daughter swore she could see two separate dots.

Originally posted by kirbic:

The first pass, to our east, the shuttle and ISS were already undocked, and visible as two separate dots in very close proximity, like a double star. the second pass, to our west, they were widely separated, perhaps 1.5 or 2 degrees.

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

12/19/2006 09:49:59 PM · #11

Pretty neat that we were both watching the same pass, me from the west, and you from the east. And we're well over 500 miles apart!