Triple Satellite Viewing - 5th June 2012

[Avarielle]

Dave had mentioned that he was going down to Bishan Park for a bit of observing, and to catch the ISS pass. Since I was bored, and also wanted to catch the ISS pass, I decided to join him there.

Reached the usual spot around 7 35 and found Dave sitting on one of the steps near the grass/the "river". Joined him there and we did a bit of looking at the Jewel Box with his binoculars. It was really interesting to see the difference between telescope observing and binocular observing. In a telescope, you can make out the individual stars in the Jewel Box, in a binoculars you just see a fuzzy patch. Still I can see the potential of the binoculars as a very useful astronomical tool.

Around 7 45, we spotted a faint speck of light making its way across the sky. We started to follow it across the sky, and discuss if that was the ISS we saw. However, it was too low and not bright enough to be the ISS. Dave checked Heavens Above and based on the time/direction we believe we saw the Meteor 1-31 Rocket.

We turned out attention to looking for the ISS but it didn't seem to turn up. Just then, Hazrie showed up and the three of us looked out for the ISS.

Suddenly, from behind the building came this very bright speck, and we knew it was the ISS. We just started shouting ISS! INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION! and I was waving madly at it. Dave got out his laser pointer and pointed it at the ISS. Then he started to video record the flyby with his camera, and Hazrie did the same with his handphone camera. I tried to take some photos but the iPhone camera isn't good enough for such things.

I think the people at the McDonalds and around the park must have been wondering what made us so excited.

We sat there for a while longer, and suddenly, one of us looked up and spotted a faint speck moving across the sky. We watched it until it disappeared. Since we all had not eaten, we decided to go get dinner at McDonalds.

While at McDonalds, we checked Heavens Above and we believe the third satellite we saw was the X37B.

(Totally not related to astronomy, but Hazrie showed us an interesting way of eating cheeseburgers - open the cheeseburger, add a few fries inside, close it and eat. I tried that and it was yummy!)

Dave: Thanks for accompanying me till my mother arrived. Was nice chatting with you about astro stuff while we were waiting. Also thanks for poisoning me with your binos, makes me want to get a pair of binos for myself.

Hazrie: Always nice to hang out with you. And we think you brought the ISS with you since it came after you arrived.

[Gary]

Wonderful satellite sightings report! Wish I was there with you guys but too busy recording and watching 6:30pm channel 8 news and 7pm - 8 pm CNA TV for potential reminder of Venus Transit (in the end none I think). And also preparing to go NUS overnight stargazing with Clifford and also preparing for venus transit at Bishan Park the next day!

But did catch ISS live through my kitchen window while doing a live phone chat with Clifford! He saw it first as his house a better view of horizon but mine got a better view above 30 degrees elevation. In drama speak, I told him his house can see the debut episode and mine the finale.

What a fun way to observe ISS "together" live while staying a few streets apart! Should have done a conference call and get you guys in the same conversation! Hopefully one day in the distant future, bright ISS sightings get live local TV coverage and can hear the whole of Singapore WAAAAAAA~~~~ for a few minutes!

[Davegn]

Thanks Avarielle for the report on the ISS flyby.

[Davegn]

5/6/2012 ISS viewing session

Clear skies once again! Knowing that there was an ISS flyby that night decided to go down to my usual ob site at bishan park to view the flyby. 

What a lucky night we had! The thought that came into my mind was "look at 1 get 2 free." =p

7.45pm spotted Meteor 1-31 Rocket. Following almost the same path of the ISS flyby but the only twist is it was lower and not bright enough to be the ISS (knowing it was -3.4 Mag that night and would only be visible to us at 8.01pm). Had a thought that if that was the ISS, would have been really disappointed. I quickly rush to check it on my iPad. Lucky it was not the ISS!

Even at 2.7 Mag. The Meteor 1-31 still caught our attention! It that point of time. I was imagining how the ISS would look like during the fly pass (as I was still an ISS flyby newbie!)

At around 7.55pm. My iPhone's alarm rang! Time to focus on The ISS! Around 8.00ish PM, Hazrie drop by and caught us at our viewing spot. I told him to look at the right corner of the condo. Few mins later. A Venus like object came into our view. Quickly to put my laser point and P&S cam to do a short recording. Without realizing, we were a making lot of noise.

I went, WOOOO. ISS! ISS! 
Avarielle: ISS!!!! (waving madly at it) 
Hazrie: oooo my god, ooooo my god!

when it was all over, I spend some time showing both  Avarielle and Hazrie what they could see with a 7 x 50 binos. When we were talking at about 8.15pm,  Hazrie spotted something moving across the sky. At south 57 degrees, it suddenly disappear into earth's shadow!  Upon check I found out it was X-37B. Beautiful!  

Was enjoying this wonderful event. Only until I reached home and came to realize that the true fact which sadden me. Earlier before the ISS flyby at bishan park,  heard some people who was there discussing and talking about the Venus transit which is happening the next day. Same after we had watched the ISS flyby. The sad fact is that during the flyby, I noticed that aside 3 of us, nobody else look up, despite the know the Venus transit event and us crazily waving and specking really loudly when the ISS was in the sky. 

Honestly, I was sadden by this fact. But, to me, I would be using this incident to motivate and and as a encouragement for my further sidewalks!!!

Thanks both Avarielle and Hazrie for accompanying me in this session! Hope the binos did poison you! =p

[Gary]

@Dave: Thanks for the report! Shared similar feelings with you when I recorded bright ISS at toa payoh central outside the library which has even higher human traffic and during CNY season some more. Yet, nobody look up though they can see me standing and pointing my videocamera at the sky for a few minutes. If one thinks I am crazy, at least do a quick 2 second look at the direction I am pointing at to verify! I usually add music for my youtube videos, that's why I deliberately did not do so for this video. This is to show how quiet the crowd was despite something amazing just happening above their heads. If not for that, I would be yelling AND filming at the same time!

But with perseverance, we should be able to spread more awareness one sidewalk at a time. A few more sidewalk sessions later at the same spot, we had a small crowd anticipating and most importantly manage to see it. And another successful group satellite observation even though it was much dimmer. Clifford, yourself and I had 3 green laser pointing at it! We need all the green lantern power we can gather to fight those bright flood lights!

Speaking of your phone alarm, I think it's a great idea! We should program all the phone alarms (say 1 day reminder) for all the bright and high ISS flybys for at least for the next 12 months and never have to worry we will miss ever miss the next one!

[Avarielle]

Speaking of your phone alarm, I think it's a great idea! We should program all the phone alarms (say 1 day reminder) for all the bright and high ISS flybys for at least for the next 12 months and never have to worry we will miss ever miss the next one!

I like the idea of programming the ISS flybys into our phone alarms, or calendars. Also since Twitter is good for fast, and quick info sharing, we could keep a look out on sites like Heavens Above and tweet when an ISS flyby is coming up.

Why people don't look up could be because they don't understand the significance of the ISS. If we could spend a bit of time educating people on the ISS, maybe more people will look up. We could organize a sidewalk session when there's a flyby and then get people to look up. Also we can prepare a bit of video/photos of the ISS so that people can understand what it is.

And for your ISS viewing needs, there's a flyby tomorrow morning from 6 27 to 6 34, NNW to SE. Look up if you can.

Dave: Am very happy that your first ISS viewing experience was fun. It was my fourth viewing but my first time with friends, which is a lot more fun.

[Gary]

We should cosplay as walking ISS and run around Orchard. Who wants to be Dragon Capsule? Hahahah