ISS through telescope - WOW!

[george7378]

Hi everyone,

There was a -3.1 ISS pass over Lincolnshire this evening, and I looked at it through my telescope. It was fantastic! With just manual control, I could see the solar panels very clearly, with the trusses connecting them to the easily visible modules in the middle. It is amazing what you can see when you look up.

George.

 

[streb2001]

Yes, just watched the pass from North Yorkshire. Perfect timing, just after sunset. Amazing sight. Tried to see it through handheld binoculars but I should have known better!

 

[george7378]

Yes - I took my eye away from the 'scope for a few seconds and noticed just how bright it was near the closest approach. It rivaled Venus - it is the highest I have seen it in the sky.
It was also interesting to watch it change in apparent size, with the features becoming every more visible as it got closer to the zenith - it really was amazing to see it when it was highest and brightest. It was face-on too, so the features were really easy to see. It's great to know the orientation of the ISS and the position of the solar panels when you watch it pass over, as well as its brightness and path!

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Awesome! :speakcool:

It looks like we’re going to have another good pass at 11:22 PM!

 

[streb2001]

Second pass of the evening in completely clear sky here. Turned blood red for a couple of seconds before it winked out just past the zenith. Spectacular! :thumbup:

 

[Izack]

Fantastic!
I saw it once a while back, when it was a lot smaller than it is now.

 

[george7378]

I also saw the second pass from my bedroom window. I tried binoculars, but there was no shape to it.

I remember seeing it with the naked eye years ago (or maybe that was the Mir) and its size made it appear very dim by today's standard.

I will look again during STS-132.

 

[n122vu]

Last time I saw her was a year or so ago. It went straight overhead, not quite 90 degrees elevation, but might as well have been. It was very awesome.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

I saw the second pass too, but the sighting was intermittent as the ISS kept passing in and out of cloud!

I'll try again tonight - I have a sighting at 9:05 PM and a better sighting at 10:37 PM. However, looking at the current weather (cloud), I don't think I'm going to have much luck.

 

[Moach]

hmm... living in a São Paulo, i can't really see anything... even if it wasn't always clouded up, i'd need to cause a major blackout in order to see anything less bright than the moon...

...and... i'd need to own a telescope...

 

[bwog]

hmm... living in a São Paulo, i can't really see anything... even if it wasn't always clouded up, i'd need to cause a major blackout in order to see anything less bright than the moon...

...and... i'd need to own a telescope...

Just one of the few reasons I wish I lived on a farm.

I can't even get Stellarium to get the light pollution right because I can only see about 30 stars on a clear night.

 

[McWgogs]

I might photograph the thing if i get good weather in the next few days. Here are two earlier ones:
[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pxv-w22JKGo"]YouTube- ISS and STS-129 flyby through telescope[/nomedia]

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xK3lh9e-hU4"]YouTube- ISS nad HTV Flyby Through Telescope[/nomedia]

 

[insanity]

Last time I saw the ISS I was watching the moon through a telescope and then the ISS passed between me and the moon. It was crazy lucky, and to top it off it had a space shuttle attached!

 

[george7378]

Wow - some great hand-guided shots McWogs! I need to get some more experience before I can do that.

I have also seen some satellite transits of the Moon by change, although I have never seen the ISS pass across it. I just need the skies to clear again!

 

[Tycho]

Sighting the station through a telescope is an incredibly fulfilling experience! Nice job.:thumbup:

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

If you want some good sightings, just wait until Atlantis is on-orbit this time next week - you'll see 3 dots in a row (ISS, Progress M-04M/36P, and Atlantis) [not necessarily in that order]! :speakcool:

 

[george7378]

If you want some good sightings, just wait until Atlantis is on-orbit this time next week - you'll see 3 dots in a row (ISS, Progress M-04M/36P, and Atlantis) [not necessarily in that order]! :speakcool:

Great - I hope I get clear skies! I would love to see the Progress and the Shuttle too.

Thanks Tycho - it is one of the greatest things I have seen. It makes you feel a lot closer to space.

 

[Tycho]

Thanks Tycho - it is one of the greatest things I have seen. It makes you feel a lot closer to space.

It really does! Here's hoping for clear night skies next week!

 

[astrosammy]

Again many cloudy days here (I'll vote any party tomorrow that wants to improve weather control :lol. But last week I followed ISS through the finder of my teselcope. Tracking was easy, but the video from the attached camera showed nothing. Looks like I need to adjust the finder. A laptop and USB-camera would also be a great help...

 

[trafalgar11111]

1/ I 'm pretty sure I just saw I.S.S. @ 21.40 UTC 25 Jun 10 wizz across the Southern to South Eastern skyline.
2/ It was mid summer twilight terquoise with a low full moon @ South Southeast.
3/ I think the angle of the sun from the North West caused Very Good light reflection circumstances.
4/ It looked like a very quickly moving orange star.
5/ My Location 53'N 1'E Blidworth, Notts.
6/ I saw it through my SSE facing small 3ft x 20" window above my 42" LCD TV. whilst watching IBM PC & comp Windows 7 Quad core CPU Prog: Orbiter 2010 doing TLi & after seeing Espana Vs. Chile in the S. African Football World Cup.
7/ I quickly googled for an ISS current location website and saw that I.S.S. was shown over N.W. Europe and not far away.
8/ "Well"! there's something else to put on the list of "Things I have seen". Along with Clipstone Winding Towers and 175M year old coal, Cresswell Crags, StoneHenge and Robin Hood visitors centres.
9/ This is of relevance to a year long project of mine to coincide NASA budget bid and 50 years of Sputnik (R7).
:hello: