Observed the Space Station over our House Last night

[BOSSHOG]

for about three minutes. It was a very clear night. It came out of the northwest about 6:30, moving very fast and seemed to turn quickly and headed almost straight north and then disappeared. It was a very bright dot, easily seen with the naked eye. We live in South Missisippi and are supposed to be able to sit it again tonight but for a shorter period of time and lower on the horizon.

www.nasa.gov

[bigendian]

1. That is really neat.

I have seen it too and am amazed at the apparent speed. It would be nice to have a good pair of binoculars because it is getting bigger and easier to observe.

[BOSSHOG]

2. I had binoculars last night

but didn't really need them and it was moving so fast I couldn't track it with them. It was an amazing sight.

[bigendian]

3. Try to catch a water dump.

I have read that the ice cloud is easily visible with binoculars. I think there is even a note on the sighting schedule when it is going to happen.

[tridim]

4. It turned?

I don't think you were looking at the Space Station then.

[BOSSHOG]

5. According to the NASA sight

"Satellite Sighting Information" for our town:

International Space Station

17 Dec 5:48 PM, duration 3 minutes, 36 degrees above horizon approach 35 above NW, depart 10 above NNW. That's exactly what happened.

[tridim]

8. I didn't think it could turn on a dime like you described

Physics says it can't. I'm I the only one who finds that odd?

[BOSSHOG]

9. My eyesight isn't that good

but that's what I saw. And isn't it to some extent following the curvature of the earth? The turn was quite distinct.

[BOSSHOG]

11. Here is the viewing

times for the Denver Area:

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/cities/view.cgi?country=United_States®ion=Colorado&city=Denver

You'll have some opportunities the next couple of days. Check out the approach and departure locations especially for 20 December. Quite a change in just two minutes.

[jobycom]

13. It doesn't turn, it just seems to as the Earth passes under.

It's like watching a skyscraper as you pass it in a car. One moment it's to your right and coming right at you, the next it's on your left and going away. Seems like it changes, but you are the one that changed. Our minds easily adjust to what happens with the building, because we can see the base of it and figure out what happened. But at such distances, we are only seeing a dot of light. It's the same effect that makes so many people think they've seen a UFO do something extremely improbable, like turn and speed away.

I'm guessing, actually, on the space station. I don't know for sure that it didn't turn, but that's a basic optical effect from that type of movement, and the way the path was described in BOSSHOG's post--that it "approached" one way, then "departed" at a different angle, sounds like the same description. It seems to change angles as it passes.

[tridim]

14. That's what I thought

Like any satellite it's capable of adjusting it's trajectory slightly (so the orbit doesn't degrade), but I doubt it's equipped to alter it's orbit because it would take major thrust to do so. That's what threw me.

[Captain Hilts]

Here's the sighting link. Had a GREAT view of it Saturday. DC's in for a treat tonight.

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/index.html

[spanone]

6. Seen it many times, looks huge and not that high in the sky.

[Captain Hilts]

7. Watching it go over with the shuttle chasing it just behind was the best ever. nt

[krispos42]

10. I saw that once

Back in 2000 or so...

Two fast-moving points of light, one chasing the other, in the setting sky.... beautiful

[leveymg]

15. Saw that also. Mir and the Shuttle over DC at dusk. Incredible.

Low in the sky. Two blazing orange points of light moving fast together.

Made me appreciate just how close low-earth orbit really is, and that manned space flight really is just in its infancy.

[Captain Hilts]

18. Don't you mean to say "Troubled Space Station Mir?"

When I lived in Moscow, an older couple upstairs kind of adopted me and he was a honcho with the Russian Space Agency. He helped design the Progress vehicle that resupplied Mir . Lev said about Mir, "OF COURSE it's falling apart, it was desgined to last for five years and it's eleven years old!"

If you enjoy this stuff reading the book, "Dragongly" is a MUST!

[BOSSHOG]

17. Hello Mookie

Do you work for NASA? My wife works at Stennis in Hancock County Mississippi.

[Captain Hilts]

19. I wish I worked with NASA!! nt

[Warren DeMontague]

12. Wow. I'm gonna have to check the tracking sites and try to catch it.

That's really cool.

[EnviroBat]

16. My Poppa built some of the components that are on it.

Makes me proud a little to see it up there.

[Captain Hilts]

20. Indeed! And I'm proud they brought in submariners to consult on the station's design...

though aviators and bubbleheads are from different cultures. Aviators take more chances as they usually fly in planes with no one else or just a handful of folks whereas submariners, travelling in larger groups with a more expensive vehicle, place a greater emphasis on safety.

They brought in bubbleheads to get design ideas and safety procedures for the station.

[Captain Hilts]

21. Visibility was great here in DC - hope you all had good views! nt