tenaya: (Default)
tenaya ([personal profile] tenaya) wrote2008-02-11 10:44 pm

Do you want to see a space ship??

The International Space Station and the US's space shuttle are docked right now. When they fly over your home at twilight, it is so cool to see.

Go to the following site and look up your country and city and you will find your best viewing opportunity:


http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/cities/skywatch.cgi?country=United+States

ETA: If you're in a different country from the US, go to this page and put in your country on the left side of the page:

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

[identity profile] gategrrl.livejournal.com 2008-02-12 05:11 pm (UTC)(link)
That is *so cool*. I've no idea where to look in the sky, though, even if I were looking up at the right time.

[identity profile] tenaya.livejournal.com 2008-02-12 09:31 pm (UTC)(link)
You're somewhere's in the LA area, right? On Saturday, at 6:40pm you will get to see a really cool sighting. Go out a few minutes early. Find North. West is where the sun sets *g*. The satellites will come from that area, go almost directly overhead and disappear to the Southeast. The spot directly overhead is the 90 degree mark, the horizon is zero. The ships will appear at 11 degrees and disappear at 27, with the highest point being 82 degrees. It will pretty much transverse the whole sky. Usually, it's the brightest 'star' in the sky and it'll take 4 minutes to make the journey.

It is actually profound to stand in your yard and stare up at it, knowing there are people up there and seeing something like this has only been possible for less that 50 years. I always get a sense of mankind being on the cusp of so much more (if we don't off ourselves....)

Go try. I'm sure you'll see it. I think the last time I tried this it was a few minutes late so give it a few extra minutes if it's not punctual.