International Space Station

[NIGHTBOY]

I've just read on here that it should be visible from the Northants area in the early hours..

How do I go about finding it as there is nothing (that I can find) on Stellarium....

Is it visible with the naked eye???

[Scooot]

It will be going south/southwest to east/northeast through eridanus at 12.10, if its clear you'll see it easily with the naked eye, it looks like a star brighter than vega moving quickly across the sky.

[Scooot]

Ps you'll get a better view at 1.50, it's much higher then going through Taurus.

[NIGHTBOY]

How do you manage to watch that one through your scope?!!

[Cornelius Varley]

Check the website http://www.heavens-above.com . Put in your location details and a list of ISS passes is generated.

[Scooot]

I doubt u can, it moves too fast, I've read some people have managed to set up a quick way of tracking it but I'd imagine it's very difficult.

[Gregnat73]

Yes it's easy to spot with naked eye... A bright "star" travelling roughly W to E before fading away. To spot it you can use a number of smart phone apps or websites. I used to use www.heavens-above.com which gives the times for lots of different satellites etc but now I use phone apps!!

Anyway the ISS is visible tomorrow at 05:00 for 2 mins and again at 06:33 for 4 mins. (Cloud permitting!)

[NIGHTBOY]

Ps you'll get a better view at 1.50, it's much higher then going through Taurus.

Just checked Stellarium for Teurus at 1.50am and its facing into the floor?

[Cornelius Varley]

It will be going south/southwest to east/northeast through eridanus at 12.10, if its clear you'll see it easily with the naked eye, it looks like a star brighter than vega moving quickly across the sky.

 The next visible pass will be about 05.00 am.

[Steve Ward]

2 good passes tonight , about 01:45 and 03:20 for highest points , appearing a few mins earlier in the West 

To show it in Stellarium click on the "Satellite" symbol on the bottom menu bar , shown here under the 12fps.

Passes shown here 

[Scooot]

I'm just looking at satelite safari, quite low at 12.10 but right overhead at 1.50

[Scooot]

Just checked Stellarium for Teurus at 1.50am and its facing into the floor?

Taurus is overhead at 01.50 according to sky safari?

[Scooot]

Just checked again, it passes the star Deneb kaitos at 12.09, the star is at an altitude of 19deg then so its a little bit lower, say 15 deg.

[NIGHTBOY]

Taurus is overhead at 01.50 according to sky safari?

Taurus is overhead at 01.50 according to sky safari?

Odd as according to Stellarium Taurus cannot be seen at all???

[Scooot]

Odd as according to Stellarium Taurus cannot be seen at all???

Odd as according to Stellarium Taurus cannot be seen at all???

You haven't got it on pm have you? This is the night sky at 0153

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[NIGHTBOY]

I can see it on stellerium if I look for it, but if I type it in the search bar it just points me towards the ground..... Wired.

[Scooot]

2 good passes tonight , about 01:45 and 03:20 for highest points , appearing a few mins earlier in the West 

To show it in Stellarium click on the "Satellite" symbol on the bottom menu bar , shown here under the 12fps.

Capture.PNG

Passes shown here 

stellarium-001.png

stellarium-002.png

Just updated the satellite data on satellite safari, you're correct the second pass is at 0145 not 0150

[Cornelius Varley]

Check with heavens-above to see which passes will actually be visible, not all the night times ones are. Stellarium will show the path of the ISS but not if the station will be visible to the naked eye

[NIGHTBOY]

Could you tell me why (on stellarium) that when you search 'Taurus' it points directly into the ground??

[Scooot]

Check with heavens-above to see which passes will actually be visible, not all the night times ones are. Stellarium will show the path of the ISS but not if the station will be visible to the naked eye

Yes you're right, I've just looked in the ISS description on sky safari, the 0145 one isn't visible, the one around 0320 and 0500 is. Apologies for being misleading and a doughnut.

[Mrlangston]

You can also sign up for email alerts from NASA when visible passe are made for your location.

As for Stellarium showing different information - could you have the wrong location set? Other than that I have no idea!

Michael

[SHARKuk]

I first saw the ISS pass over when at a dark skies site, it moved so fast over the sky I thought it was a u.f.o at first lol ..

[OneEyedSam]

if you register with spotthestation.com  youll get an email when its passing...

[MattGoo]

Plenty of apps available for smartphones. I use 'ISS Detector' on my Android handset.