[NatureNS] Space Station passes tonight (Tuesday)with a little star gazing.

Date: Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:57:25 -0300
From: Sherman Williams <sherm@glinx.com>
To: Naturens <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>,
References: <20090906200521.UGWV6760.torspm04.toronto.rmgopenwave.com@BM.ns.sympatico.ca>
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As mentioned last evening, Space Station is once again visible in the  
evening sky.  Tonight's pass will be interesting to catch because the  
Shuttle, Discovery will have separated from the Space Station (ISS),   
so they should appear as separate objects on the same track as they  
pass.
( http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html )

For Maritime Canadians, the pass should be a nice one (if cloud does  
not get in the way).  The pass begins shortly after 8:44 p.m.  
appearing out of the SW.  It reaches the peak of the pass in the SE  
at close to 8:47 p.m. and enters Earth shadow in the east about   
8:48. At the height of the pass for the Annapolis Valley it will  
reach about 43 degrees above the SE horizon (about halfway to  
overhead). If you are NW of the Ann. Valley it will be lower.  If SE  
of me then it will appear higher.

See this link for the overhead track.
( http://www.heavens-above.com/gtrack.asp? 
date=40064.9908457767&lat=45.100&lng=-64.250&alt=54&loc=Avonport&TZ=AST& 
satid=25544 )

The reflection from the station should get nearly as bright as Venus  
(Mag minus 3.9) and quite a bit brighter than Jupiter (Mag  minus  
2.8) In measuring star and planet brightness, more negative is  
brighter, more positive is dimmer. Vega is Mag 0, Deneb is near Mag +1


For Avonport, the ISS will pass just below the star Altair, in the  
constellation, AQUILA, The Eagle, which is the southern most part of  
the Summer Triangle (marked by 3 bright stars:  Altair (AQUILA),   
Deneb (CYGNUS) and Vega (LYRA) (two bright stars near overhead). Vega  
is brightest and most to the west.  Jupiter is the bright star-like   
light low in the SE.So there is a little star gazing you can do  
during the pass.

Here is a link to a star chart drawn for Avonport (Annapolis Valley  
view) at the time of the pass.
(  http://www.heavens-above.com/PassDetails.asp? 
SatID=25544&lat=45.100&lng=-64.250&alt=54&loc=Avonport&TZ=AST&Date=40064 
.9908457767 )

If you note the track the station takes relative to Altair where you  
live, and compare it to its track for Annapolis Valley viewers, you  
will be seeing the difference one's Earth surface location makes (a  
little navigation observation). For Avonport, the station will pass  
about about 8 degrees below Altair and about 24 degrees above  
Jupiter  (a vertically held fist sighted at arms length against the  
sky is about a 10 degree angle)


There is a 2nd pass about 90+min later but it hits the Earth shadow  
before it hardly gets above the horizon.

There is another great pass tomorrow evening as well.

This link will get you pass details.
http://web.mac.com/sherm39/iWeb/Site/ISS_Page.html

Happy observing,
   Sherman

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<html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; =
-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">
<div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><br></div><div style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">As =
mentioned last evening, Space Station is once again visible in the =
evening sky. &nbsp;Tonight's pass will be interesting to catch because =
the Shuttle, Discovery will have separated from the Space Station (ISS), =
&nbsp;so they should appear as separate objects on the same track as =
they pass. &nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">(&nbsp;<a =
href=3D"http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html">http://=
www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html</a>&nbsp;)</div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><br></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">For Maritime =
Canadians, the pass should be a nice one (if cloud does not get in the =
way). &nbsp;The pass begins shortly after 8:44 p.m. appearing out of the =
SW. &nbsp;It reaches the peak of the pass in the SE at close to 8:47 =
p.m. and enters Earth shadow in the east about &nbsp;8:48. At the height =
of the pass for the Annapolis Valley it will reach about 43 degrees =
above the SE horizon (about halfway to overhead). If you are NW of the =
Ann. Valley it will be lower. &nbsp;If SE of me then it will appear =
higher.&nbsp;</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><br></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">See this link for the overhead =
track.</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">(&nbsp;<a =
href=3D"http://www.heavens-above.com/gtrack.asp?date=3D40064.9908457767&am=
p;lat=3D45.100&amp;lng=3D-64.250&amp;alt=3D54&amp;loc=3DAvonport&amp;TZ=3D=
AST&amp;satid=3D25544">http://www.heavens-above.com/gtrack.asp?date=3D4006=
4.9908457767&amp;lat=3D45.100&amp;lng=3D-64.250&amp;alt=3D54&amp;loc=3DAvo=
nport&amp;TZ=3DAST&amp;satid=3D25544</a>&nbsp;)</div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><br></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">The =
reflection from the station should get nearly as bright as Venus (Mag =
minus 3.9) and quite a bit brighter than Jupiter (Mag &nbsp;minus 2.8) =
In measuring star and planet brightness, more negative is brighter, more =
positive is dimmer. Vega is Mag 0, Deneb is near Mag +1</div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><br></div></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; =
"><br></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">For Avonport, the ISS will pass =
just below the star Altair, in the constellation, AQUILA, The Eagle, =
which is the southern most part of the Summer Triangle (marked by 3 =
bright stars: &nbsp;Altair (AQUILA), &nbsp;Deneb (CYGNUS) and Vega =
(LYRA) (two bright stars near overhead). Vega is brightest and most to =
the west. &nbsp;Jupiter is the bright star-like &nbsp;light low in the =
SE.So there is a little star gazing you can do during the pa