merlinxlm Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 Hi everybody, just seen the ISS passing by Orion. I was lucky in enough to have my Celestron 15x70's with me. What a beautiful sight, I'm not sure if I was imagining things, but I'm sure I could see a distinctive shape to the object. Would I have been able to make out a shape with my 15X70's? The colour was brilliant, nice and orange, but as it disappeared to the South East it turned a dark red. Very strange looking. I must say that Heavens-Above Home Page, is a very good and informative website. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashenlight Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 Hi merlinxlm,I saw that pass too, it was lovely wasn't it. I'm always surprised at how bright it is I usually look at it through 10x50s (although sometimes it's just nice to look at it with the naked eye) and I can make out a shape. I couldn't really tell you what shape it is, but it is definitely not a pinpoint of light to me, so you are not alone.Amanda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talitha Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 Thanks Merlin and Amanda, it's encouraging to know that some structure can be detected with binos. I'll take the 11x70s out for the scheduled pass here in a little over 2 hours... they'll be cruising directly overhead, so I'll have a lot of time to look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talitha Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 Wow.. they're every bit as bright as Venus and definitely not shaped like your everyday point of light, lol. Fantastic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashenlight Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 I think I could become an obsessive ISS watcher, y'know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinvek Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 satelittes etc can become adictive, i like seeing them anyway. other people (especially imagers) refer to them as vermin but then i also like rats and pigeons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lulu57 Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 ...Do you wear stripy tights and play merrily on a little pipe whilst they trot and flap along behind you?!I shall have look out for the ISS. Next clear night for me is meant to be Monday. Any idea where it will be then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashenlight Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 What is your location lulu57? I use Heavens-Above Home Page to ascertain the position of the ISS when it is clear. Set up a (free) account, input your location and then use the homepage to click onto the ISS or different sats that you want to see. It will give you a table of the next 15 or so passings, you can than click on the date you are interested in and view a star chart to find out where it is coming from. I keep raving about this website, I was directed to it by a few people on this forum, it has been great Apologies if you know this already, I just had such a great time watching the ISS fly over the last few nights I would love other people to experience it too Amanda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barkis Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 Hi everybody, just seen the ISS passing by Orion. I was lucky in enough to have my Celestron 15x70's with me. What a beautiful sight, I'm not sure if I was imagining things, but I'm sure I could see a distinctive shape to the object. Would I have been able to make out a shape with my 15X70's? The colour was brilliant, nice and orange, but as it disappeared to the South East it turned a dark red. Very strange looking. I must say that Heavens-Above Home Page, is a very good and informative website. The red colour is due to the sunlight that strikes the ISS, has passed through earths atmosphere at its densest due to the angle at you are observing. The cause is particles in the air from volcanic ash, and other rubbish. Similar to when the moon goes into eclipse, and sunlight falling on the lunar disc is refracted through earths atmosphere. turning the moon a Coppery colour. Ron. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashenlight Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 Nice explanation Ron, been wondering that myself Cheers.Amanda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiny Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 Seen the ISS 5 times in 4 nights. Tonight pass is a good one west to east at 19-46 to 19-51 at up to 69 degrees. But will the clouds get in the way.Does anyone know when the shuttle is due to leave the ISS as we have a week of good passes to come so might see them together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 It's not until Sat 28th I think about 15.45 GMT.Deorbit burn is at 16.39 GMTAnd it lands at 17.42 GMT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiny Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 Thank you - guess as that is in daylight - no chance of seeing anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliosky Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 :)Managed to catch a visual today 19:48hrs 22 mar at Mag -2.2 easily spotted and pretty impressive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leegsi Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 Even during the day you can see it if its bright Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vega Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 Regarding the colour, I believe the large orange solar arrays plays a big part to this effect too.I have hopes to image the ISS through the scope again this year. I sucessfully got a couple frames from Saturday's pass, however I set the Toucam exposure to 1/2500 in error (can only see the white radiators, everything else of the ISS is practically invisible! lol). I hope to try again tonight but loooking at the weather, the cloud is fast coming down from the North right on que again... soo annoying!Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 I followed the one last night with my 16" dob.Pretty hard to track it but I did manage to see the shape of The ISS.Was pretty chuffed with myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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