Monday, May 03, 2021
A series of Bright ISS passes, some good ones on the weekend (4-12 May,2021)
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| The ISS as seen from Brisbane on the evening of Sunday 9 May at 18:48 AEST. Simulated in Stellarium (the ISS will actually be a bright dot), click to embiggen. | The ISS as seen from Adelaide on the evening of Sunday 9 May at 18:15:30 ACST. Simulated in Stellarium (the ISS will actually be a bright dot), click to embiggen. | The ISS as seen from Perth on the evening of Sunday 9 May at 18:19 AWST. Simulated in Stellarium (the ISS will actually be a bright dot), click to embiggen. |
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| All sky chart showing local times from Heavens Above for Sunday 9 May for Brisbane. | All sky chart showing local times from Heavens Above for Sunday 9 May for Adelaide. | All sky chart showing local times from Heavens Above for Sunday 9 May for Perth. |
Over the next few days there are a series of bright ISS passes in the late evening twilight/early evening. The outstanding passes are when the ISS passes below or through the Southern Cross (5&6th Hobart, 7th Melb, 8th Sydney, Melb (through pointers) 9th, SA, WA, 10th QLD, 12th Darwin). As well there a number of passes close to bright stars.
The following tables are from data provided from Heavens Above. Particularly impressive passes are highlighted.
Passes from Adelaide (ACST)
| Date | Brightness | Start | Highest point | End | Pass type | ||||||
| (mag) | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | ||
| 04 May | -1.3 | 18:59:16 | 10° | S | 19:00:04 | 13° | S | 19:00:04 | 13° | S | visible |
| 05 May | -1.4 | 18:12:37 | 10° | S | 18:13:27 | 11° | SSE | 18:14:17 | 10° | SE | visible |
| 05 May | -0.6 | 19:47:27 | 10° | SW | 19:47:34 | 11° | SW | 19:47:34 | 11° | SW | visible |
| 06 May | -2.4 | 18:59:51 | 10° | SSW | 19:02:06 | 28° | S | 19:02:06 | 28° | S | visible |
| 07 May | -2.2 | 18:12:15 | 10° | SSW | 18:14:58 | 22° | SSE | 18:16:40 | 15° | ESE | visible |
| 07 May | -0.8 | 19:48:40 | 10° | WSW | 19:49:38 | 17° | WSW | 19:49:38 | 17° | WSW | visible |
| 08 May | -3.6 | 19:00:26 | 10° | SW | 19:03:50 | 72° | NW | 19:04:19 | 60° | NNE | visible |
| 09 May | -3.7 | 18:12:16 | 10° | SW | 18:15:39 | 58° | SE | 18:19:00 | 10° | ENE | visible |
| 09 May | -0.5 | 19:51:01 | 10° | WNW | 19:52:00 | 11° | NW | 19:52:11 | 11° | NW | visible |
| 10 May | -1.1 | 19:01:14 | 10° | W | 19:03:51 | 21° | NW | 19:06:26 | 10° | N | visible |
| 11 May | -2.2 | 18:12:17 | 10° | WSW | 18:15:30 | 39° | NW | 18:18:41 | 10° | NNE | visible |
Passes from Brisbane (AEST)
| Date | Brightness | Start | Highest point | End | Pass type | ||||||
| (mag) | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | ||
| 07 May | -1.3 | 18:45:52 | 10° | SSW | 18:46:39 | 15° | SSW | 18:46:39 | 15° | SSW | visible |
| 08 May | -2.0 | 17:58:26 | 10° | S | 18:00:44 | 17° | SE | 18:01:20 | 16° | SE | visible |
| 09 May | -3.4 | 18:46:01 | 10° | SW | 18:49:11 | 65° | W | 18:49:11 | 65° | W | visible |
| 10 May | -3.6 | 17:57:46 | 10° | SSW | 18:01:06 | 54° | SE | 18:04:20 | 11° | NE | visible |
| 11 May | -0.8 | 18:46:52 | 10° | W | 18:49:08 | 17° | NW | 18:51:22 | 10° | NNW | visible |
| 12 May | -1.9 | 17:57:32 | 10° | WSW | 18:00:39 | 34° | NW | 18:03:44 | 10° | NNE | visible |
Passes from Darwin (ACT)
| Date | Brightness | Start | Highest point | End | Pass type | ||||||
| (mag) | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | ||
| 10 May | -1.7 | 19:05:57 | 10° | SSE | 19:07:11 | 12° | SE | 19:07:22 | 11° | SE | visible |
| 11 May | -3.4 | 19:52:05 | 10° | SW | 19:55:26 | 65° | NW | 19:56:05 | 50° | N | visible |
| 12 May | -3.5 | 19:03:35 | 10° | SSW | 19:06:52 | 48° | SE | 19:10:06 | 10° | NE | visible |
Passes from Hobart (AEST)
| Date | Brightness | Start | Highest point | End | Pass type | ||||||
| (mag) | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | ||
| 03 May | -2.7 | 18:39:12 | 10° | SW | 18:42:18 | 30° | SSE | 18:42:33 | 30° | SSE | visible |
| 04 May | -2.3 | 17:51:46 | 10° | SW | 17:54:39 | 24° | SSE | 17:57:06 | 12° | ESE | visible |
| 04 May | -1.7 | 19:28:22 | 10° | WSW | 19:30:04 | 27° | WSW | 19:30:04 | 27° | WSW | visible |
| 05 May | -3.7 | 18:40:45 | 10° | SW | 18:44:10 | 60° | SSE | 18:44:36 | 54° | ESE | visible |
| 06 May | -3.1 | 17:53:02 | 10° | SW | 17:56:19 | 40° | SSE | 17:59:07 | 13° | E | visible |
| 06 May | -1.6 | 19:29:58 | 10° | WSW | 19:32:06 | 26° | WNW | 19:32:06 | 26° | WNW | visible |
| 07 May | -3.1 | 18:41:53 | 10° | WSW | 18:45:14 | 53° | NW | 18:46:40 | 29° | NNE | visible |
| 08 May | -3.7 | 17:53:47 | 10° | WSW | 17:57:13 | 89° | NW | 18:00:38 | 10° | NE | visible |
| 08 May | -0.7 | 19:32:11 | 10° | WNW | 19:33:30 | 12° | NW | 19:34:19 | 11° | NW | visible |
| 09 May | -1.1 | 18:42:57 | 10° | W | 18:45:31 | 20° | NW | 18:48:04 | 10° | N | visible |
| 10 May | -1.9 | 17:54:13 | 10° | WSW | 17:57:20 | 33° | NW | 18:00:25 | 10° | NNE | visible |
| 12 May | -0.4 | 17:55:04 | 10° | WNW | 17:56:38 | 13° | NW | 17:58:14 | 10° | NNW | visible |
Passes from Melbourne (AEST)
| Date | Brightness | Start | Highest point | End | Pass type | ||||||
| (mag) | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | ||
| 03 May | -1.5 | 18:40:36 | 10° | S | 18:42:18 | 13° | SSE | 18:42:33 | 13° | SSE | visible |
| 04 May | -1.4 | 19:28:59 | 10° | SW | 19:30:04 | 18° | SSW | 19:30:04 | 18° | SSW | visible |
| 05 May | -2.3 | 18:41:35 | 10° | SSW | 18:44:24 | 23° | SSE | 18:44:36 | 23° | SE | visible |
| 06 May | -1.8 | 17:54:07 | 10° | SSW | 17:56:27 | 17° | SSE | 17:58:47 | 10° | ESE | visible |
| 06 May | -2.0 | 19:30:11 | 10° | SW | 19:32:06 | 31° | SW | 19:32:06 | 31° | SW | visible |
| 07 May | -3.6 | 18:42:19 | 10° | SW | 18:45:41 | 56° | SE | 18:46:40 | 39° | E | visible |
| 08 May | -2.9 | 17:54:25 | 10° | SW | 17:57:34 | 33° | SSE | 18:00:43 | 10° | E | visible |
| 08 May | -1.6 | 19:31:23 | 10° | WSW | 19:34:14 | 25° | NW | 19:34:19 | 25° | NW | visible |
| 09 May | -2.7 | 18:42:51 | 10° | WSW | 18:46:09 | 45° | NW | 18:49:11 | 11° | NNE | visible |
| 10 May | -3.7 | 17:54:26 | 10° | SW | 17:57:52 | 86° | NW | 18:01:16 | 10° | NE | visible |
| 11 May | -0.6 | 18:43:48 | 10° | W | 18:45:49 | 15° | NW | 18:47:48 | 10° | NNW | visible |
| 12 May | -1.3 | 17:54:26 | 10° | WSW | 17:57:21 | 27° | NW | 18:00:16 | 10° | NNE | visible |
Passes from Perth (AWST)
| Date | Brightness | Start | Highest point | End | Pass type | ||||||
| (mag) | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | ||
| 06 May | -1.7 | 19:03:38 | 10° | SSW | 19:05:04 | 19° | S | 19:05:04 | 19° | S | visible |
| 07 May | -1.9 | 18:16:16 | 10° | S | 18:18:28 | 16° | SSE | 18:19:38 | 14° | ESE | visible |
| 07 May | -0.6 | 19:52:08 | 10° | WSW | 19:52:37 | 13° | WSW | 19:52:37 | 13° | WSW | visible |
| 08 May | -3.8 | 19:03:59 | 10° | SW | 19:07:18 | 82° | S | 19:07:18 | 82° | S | visible |
| 09 May | -3.3 | 18:15:54 | 10° | SSW | 18:19:11 | 42° | SE | 18:22:10 | 12° | ENE | visible |
| 09 May | -0.5 | 19:53:58 | 10° | W | 19:55:11 | 13° | WNW | 19:55:11 | 13° | WNW | visible |
| 10 May | -1.5 | 19:04:35 | 10° | WSW | 19:07:26 | 25° | NW | 19:10:15 | 10° | N | visible |
| 11 May | -2.8 | 18:15:44 | 10° | SW | 18:19:03 | 50° | NW | 18:22:20 | 10° | NNE | visible |
Passes from Sydney (AEST)
| Date | Brightness | Start | Highest point | End | Pass type | ||||||
| (mag) | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | ||
| 05 May | -1.5 | 18:43:30 | 10° | SSW | 18:44:36 | 16° | S | 18:44:36 | 16° | S | visible |
| 06 May | -1.7 | 17:56:20 | 10° | S | 17:58:12 | 14° | SSE | 17:59:07 | 13° | SE | visible |
| 06 May | -0.5 | 19:31:55 | 10° | SW | 19:32:06 | 11° | SW | 19:32:06 | 11° | SW | visible |
| 07 May | -3.0 | 18:44:03 | 10° | SW | 18:46:40 | 44° | S | 18:46:40 | 44° | S | visible |
| 08 May | -2.9 | 17:56:12 | 10° | SSW | 17:59:19 | 32° | SE | 18:01:20 | 17° | E | visible |
| 08 May | -0.6 | 19:33:21 | 10° | W | 19:34:19 | 15° | W | 19:34:19 | 15° | W | visible |
| 09 May | -2.3 | 18:44:39 | 10° | WSW | 18:47:51 | 37° | NW | 18:49:11 | 26° | N | visible |
| 10 May | -3.6 | 17:56:11 | 10° | SW | 17:59:36 | 77° | NW | 18:02:58 | 10° | NE | visible |
| 11 May | -0.4 | 18:46:19 | 10° | WNW | 18:47:29 | 11° | NW | 18:48:37 | 10° | NW | visible |
| 12 May | -1.0 | 17:56:22 | 10° | WSW | 17:59:03 | 22° | NW | 18:01:42 | 10° | N | visible |
When and what you will see is VERY location dependent, so you need to use Heavens Above to get site specific predictions for your location, a small
difference in location can mean the difference between the ISS passing
over a star or planet or missing it completely.
As always, start looking several minutes before the pass is going to start to get
yourself oriented and your eyes dark adapted. Be patient, there may be
slight differences in the time of the ISS appearing due to orbit changes
not picked up by the predictions. Use the most recent prediction for
your site.
Labels: ISS, Satellite, unaided eye
# posted by Ian Musgrave @ 10:11 pm 
Comments:
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Thanks Ian !
I thought I saw ISS before sunrise this morning near Jupiter, but I couldn't quickly identify which satellite it was.
We'll look tonight, thanks to this post !
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I thought I saw ISS before sunrise this morning near Jupiter, but I couldn't quickly identify which satellite it was.
We'll look tonight, thanks to this post !
# posted by 
: 11:21 am
: 11:21 am 
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