ISS - in the eyepiece!

[GazK]

Stellarium showed that from my location the ISS would graze Megrez during tonights pass. So I just couldn't resist setting up my DIY portabowl on the playing area outside our house - nice widefield view courtesy of the 17mm Baader. I wasn't expecting much, but woosh! it shot past and for a split second I had a clear view of shape, structure and solar panels! Woohoo! I also managed to track it as it headed toward the horizon, but the atmosphere was trashing the view by this point. I might try a full pass track next time, the ball scope seems well suited to it - certainly better than my dob.

Blown away!

And to top it all a friend of my next door neighbour came past so I showed him Saturn. He was blown away too!

[Pete Presland]

it certainly was bright tonight!

[Ursa Major]

I tracked it tonight for the 2nd time at X26 and I think it must have been a lot closer to earth this time as I could see the structure of the solar panels, last time I seem to remember it being about half the size.