ISS and space shuttle pass with just the naked eye

[MrsR]

Well my binos that I have ordered hadn't arrived on time so the naked eye it was to be.

I couldn't get out to a East Midlands Stargazers meet as husband out at a stag party and I couldn't get a baby sitter but my father was over so he shared in my excitement.

I strapped the baby monitor to my side and grabbed the laptop. I checked Heavens Above for the hundreth time and then looked up - I spotted Jupiter and Orions Belt and then fired up stellarium to double double check I was looking in the right position which I was - this little fact I was chuffed about just in itself - can't you tell I am a newbie. I dropped the horizon on stellarium to see where it was then my father and I locked on the rough location.

We were going up and down the garden trying to get the be position to loose the awful light pollution I have around me with factory security lights and then I spotted it and screamed "there it is".

My father and I stood in amazement and watched it zoom over the house. We looked at each other and said "lets get to the front" - we ran through the house onto the driveway and caught it again, we watched it till it disappeared and I started bouncing around like a 10 year old - think the neighbours would have wondered what we were doing.

Just to know that that shuttled docked while we were watching it was amazing and to be able to watch it with my father - he is getting on a bit now sadly - made it even more special. I watched the shuttle launch a few days ago with him also on NASA tv and so the last few days will be something I treasure forever that I shared with him.

Thanks for reading.

[RogerTheDodger]

It's a great feeling when you can figure out where you are going to see it, isn't it

[yeti monster]

Wonderful stuff Mrs. R. ISS is a fantastic sight, especially when it goes over your house!

[george7378]

Beautiful - I also got a nice view of the pass, but the clouds were covering everything but the western horizon, so I only got a few seconds of it.