International Space Station and Space Shuttle 12 Dec 2006

siahheng · Post by **siahheng** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 2:51 am

Hi, just wanted to share with everyone that the ISS is visible this 12 Dec 2006, starting at 1922 hrs, WSW, 10 deg and ending 1927 hrs, N, 10 deg alt.
(Mag 1.0)

Missed the last one, so will try hard to catch this...

Lets hope for clear skies

Siah Heng

Post by **Airconvent** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 4:04 am

that's very low in the sky...with the clouds , may not be able to see it but we can try. thanks for the tinker, siah heng...

mrngbss · Post by **mrngbss** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 7:19 am

Thanks. Time to recce for high spots.

starfinder · Post by **starfinder** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 6:39 pm

Hi all,

Just to inform that the ISS and Space Shuttle should be visible tomorrow at dawn (Wednesday 13th Dec 2006) high up in the sky and fairly bright.

The two objects will appear just minutes apart from each other.

Another good appearance on Friday morning.

The following are extracted from the Heavens-Above website:
http://www.heavens-above.com/PassSummar ... atid=25544

Note that "06:37:34 87 NNE " means that at 6.37:34 am, the object will be at an altitude of 87 degrees above the horizon in the North-north east.

*************
STS-116 - Visible Passes

Observer's Location: Singapore City ( 1.2930°N, 103.8560°E)
Local Time: Universal Coordinated Time -8 (GMT + 8:00)

13 Dec
Mag -0.9
06:26:59 10 NNW
06:29:51 61 ENE
06:32:42 10 SE

15 Dec
Mag 0.2
05:28:11 33 ENE
05:28:11 33 ENE
05:30:36 10 ESE

16 Dec
Mag -0.4
05:44:37 34 SW
05:44:37 34 SW
05:46:57 10 SSE

**************

ISS - Visible Passes

Observer's Location: Singapore City ( 1.2930°N, 103.8560°E)
Local Time: Universal Coordinated Time -8 (GMT + 8:00)

Date Mag Starts Max. Altitude Ends
Time Alt. Az. Time Alt. Az. Time Alt. Az.
13 Dec
Mag -0.8
06:34:38 10 NW
06:37:34 87 NNE
06:40:32 10 SE

15 Dec
Mag -0.9
05:47:51 52 NNW
05:48:27 85 NE
05:51:24 10 SE

river · Post by **river** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 6:47 pm

recent ISS + saturn pic from China
http://www.astron.sh.cn/2006/news.asp?id=292

Post by **acc** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 11:09 pm

Tomorrow's pass looks pretty good! Hope to catch the couple through my portaball. Hardest part would be dragging myself out of bed!

Canopus Lim · Post by **Canopus Lim** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 7:02 am

Yeah finally I saw the ISS! I could see the shape of the ISS (the solar panels and body) with my C5 and 35 Panoptic.

C5 is 'NASA' approve scope!

However, sadly I only saw it when it was disappearing at SE and had only a few seconds to observe it. I was in the toilet then when it rose from the NNE. I thought I would not see it as it has already exceeded the timing posted. The ISS was real fast. Luckily I managed to catch it before it disappeared.

starfinder · Post by **starfinder** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 7:04 am

I managed to see the Int'l Space Station just now.

I did not see the Space Shuttle at 6:29am according to the time which was listed above.

However, about 5 mins later, the ISS came into view quite bright, even though daylight was already breaking and the eastern horizon was very bright.

When i first spotted it, it was about 30 degrees above the horizon (clouds) in the NW, and then it flew right overhead (very near the zenith), past the moon, before very slowly descending towards the SE and disappearing from sight at about 20 degrees above the horizon.

Through a 10x binoculars, it definitely exhibited angular diameter, much like Jupiter, and was certainly not a point of light like stars are.

The colour was a creamy white.

The whole episode lasted about 4 mins.

Since it went near my zenith, it means that it flew right over Singapore, or very nearby. From around the Straits of Malacca in the NW, down towards Java and Australia in the SE.

Later on, a check with NASA's website showed that the Space Shuttle had actually already docked with the ISS yesterday. So, no wonder i did not see the Space Shuttle at 6:29am. It also means that I was actually looking at both objects docked together.

Now I will look forward to Friday's appearance, which will be during dark skies since it will be earlier at 5:48am.

Just maybe, I will try to photograph it through a telescope.

Check here for latest timings:
http://www.heavens-above.com/PassSummar ... atid=25544

starfinder · Post by **starfinder** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 7:17 am

For Friday's pass, it looks like the ISS will fly right past Saturn (about 3 degrees away) not far from the zenith at around 5:48:15am:

http://www.heavens-above.com/PassDetail ... 9086412599

Hey Canopus Lim, that must have been a great sight just now, to see the individual structures!

I must try to look at the ISS through a scope one day.

starfinder · Post by **starfinder** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 7:27 am

Hey look, the ISS did fly over Singapore today afterall (it probably flew over Paya Lebar or Changi):

http://www.heavens-above.com/gtrack.asp ... atid=25544

(However, my personal impression is that it flew over around Bukit Timah and then towards Raffles Place. Ha!)

When it was at the zenith, it was 357km above Singapore, but by the time it dropped to 10 degrees, it was 1321km:

http://www.heavens-above.com/PassDetail ... 9427477383

So it means that for observing and photography, that would make quite a difference in apparent angular diameter, i.e. between 357km away and 1321km away.