Saturday, July 09, 2011
The International Space Station and Atlantis visible from Australia Sunday Morning 10 July
The space shuttle Atlantis successfully lifted off on Friday (US time see also here). Australians can see the space shuttle pass over for the last time before docking on Sunday Morning 10 July (after this the shuttle is docked to the ISS, we might get to see the shuttle after it is undocked and on the way home).
But...I get completely different pass times for the Shuttle from Heavens Above and CalSky. The Heavens above predictions agree with what I get using elements downloaded into SkyMap, but CalSky has been accurate in the past. What I suggest is to get the predictions from both closer to the morning, and look at both times.
The Shuttle and the ISS will be separated by a significant amount of time, and the shuttle will be a difficult target, depending on where you are, appearing out of earth's shadow low to the horizon.
But this is a historical observation all the same, so have a go.
But...I get completely different pass times for the Shuttle from Heavens Above and CalSky. The Heavens above predictions agree with what I get using elements downloaded into SkyMap, but CalSky has been accurate in the past. What I suggest is to get the predictions from both closer to the morning, and look at both times.
The Shuttle and the ISS will be separated by a significant amount of time, and the shuttle will be a difficult target, depending on where you are, appearing out of earth's shadow low to the horizon.
But this is a historical observation all the same, so have a go.
Labels: ISS, Space Shuttle, unaided eye observation
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Hi Ian
just keep in mind that CalSky takes into account orbit maneuver until docking, whereas other sources to not.
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just keep in mind that CalSky takes into account orbit maneuver until docking, whereas other sources to not.
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