Registered Member
I just watched the International Space Station pass overhead. I've watched it before, but this was the best and longest view I've had.
It came out of the SW and passed almost directly overhead towards the NE. It was supposed to be visible for 5 minutes but due to trees we could only see it for a little over 3 minutes. A good sighting. When we get moved to the farm we will have even better views.
The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible - Arthur C. Clarke
Charter Member
That's great
I have told this story before---but, here it is again.
The best sighting I have ever had of the space station was at night on a flight from Moscow to Nagoya, Japan. We were at about 40,000 feet. The space station was to our left and I was on the left side of the plane. It was the middle of the night and most people were sleeping--which avoided a crowd at the windows. We were both going in close to the same direction and the space station overtook us at a seemingly reduced speed, I had a wonderful unobstructed view for a period of minutes.
To add to the excitement, we were flying over Siberia at the time-----there is nothing to see over Siberia at night! You commonly fly for long periods of time and see only one lone electric light.
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty” ---Sir Winston Churchill
"Political extremism involves two prime ingredients: an excessively simple diagnosis of the world's ills, and a conviction that there are identifiable villains back of it all." ---John W. Gardner
“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” ---C. S. Lewis
Charter Member
^^^
Are you seeing just a bright point of light at 40,000 feet, or can you make out some details with unaided eyes?
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“You can vote your way into socialism, but you have to shoot your way out.” — Too fundamental to have an attribution
Charter Member
No---the image was "close" and I could easily see the structure of the space station as well as the solar panels.Originally Posted by wacojoe
The result of having no real atmosphere to peer through is, I think, key. There is none of the normal earth trash---including water vapor at that height.
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty” ---Sir Winston Churchill
"Political extremism involves two prime ingredients: an excessively simple diagnosis of the world's ills, and a conviction that there are identifiable villains back of it all." ---John W. Gardner
“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” ---C. S. Lewis
Charter Member
Outstanding!
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“You can vote your way into socialism, but you have to shoot your way out.” — Too fundamental to have an attribution
Registered Member
Very cool, Dave.
The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible - Arthur C. Clarke
Registered Member
It seems impossible that you could see that much detail because at that point in time the ISS would have been 249 miles away.
OPINION....a view or judgment formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge.
Registered Member
Im scared of the dark and to go outside anymore.
"Back after 5 years. I thought you had died.
don"
Splitting my time between the montane and the mesas
The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
Charter Member
About once a week over here on the wrong side of town my pup will get me up to go out at three in the morning. I get a little nervous but I'm too old and tired to get scared.
This is your mind on drugs!
Registered Member
I get messages when it's going to be over head.
https://spotthestation.nasa.gov/
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Retired April 17, 2019
Back to driving October 12, 2022
Damn Credit Card
Life’s too short to drink cheep booze and argue with stupid people.” Mickey Thompson
Charter Member
Thats cool. I'm going to sign up for alerts.
Charter Member
So you've lost your tinfoil hat?
This is your mind on drugs!
Charter Member
I'm one of those geeks who built his own telescope when he was a kid. As an adult, my best views of what's flying overhead comes while camping out in the high desert. As others have described, the things you can see flying overhead are amazing.
The most amazing thing I ever saw fly overhead was when the Space Shuttle visited when passing through to California. Because there was so much interest, the plane carrying the shuttle made two circles of the Salt Lake Valley. It triggered a wave of patriotism that surprised me. It really was impressive.
Hunter
I don't care if it hurts. I want to have control. I want a perfect body. I want a perfect soul. - Creep by Radiohead
Registered Member
I once saw the shuttle flying piggyback over Houston. It was a pure luck sighting, I was on my way downtown to the D. A.'s office.
The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible - Arthur C. Clarke
Charter Member
I was lucky enough to have an encounter with the shuttle in the Kansas City airport. For some reason it had stopped there overnight. I had an early flight out and it was still there, parked close to the end of the runway. They were preparing to take off and the airport was closed to commercial flights. The view from the terminal was unobstructed. They started their roll and it was obvious this was not a routine takeoff. The rate of acceleration was far below what a normal 747 takeoff would be. They lumbered down the runway slowly increasing speed, finally it slowly lifted off and began a very slow climb out. When they went out of sight they still were on the same course as they were when they lifted off.
I also, for the first time, realized how big the shuttle was. Atop the 747, the nose sat near the center of the front "bump" and went probably 3/4 of the way to the tail. It had an aerodynamic cone on the tail which did add some to the length.The diameter of the fuselage was close to the size of the 747.
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty” ---Sir Winston Churchill
"Political extremism involves two prime ingredients: an excessively simple diagnosis of the world's ills, and a conviction that there are identifiable villains back of it all." ---John W. Gardner
“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” ---C. S. Lewis
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