Wednesday, September 01, 2021
Bright ISS Passes Near bright Planets (3-10 September, 2021)
The ISS as seen from Brisbane on the evening of Wednesday 7 September at 18:18 AEST. Simulated in Stellarium (the ISS will actually be a bright dot), the white line is the path of the ISS, the other lines are paths of other satellites. Click to embiggen. | The ISS as seen from Adelaide on the evening of Tuesday 6 September at 18:33 ACST. Simulated in Stellarium (the ISS will actually be a bright dot), the white line is the path of the ISS, the other lines are paths of other satellites. Click to embiggen. | The ISS as seen from Perth on the evening of Tuesday 6 September at 18:37 AWST. Simulated in Stellarium (the ISS will actually be a bright dot), the white line is the path of the ISS, the other lines are paths of other satellites. Click to embiggen. |
All sky chart showing local times from Heavens Above for Wednesday 7 September for Brisbane. | All sky chart showing local times from Heavens Above for Tuesday 6 September for Adelaide. | All sky chart showing local times from Heavens Above for Tuesday 6 September for Perth. |
If it is not bucketing down rain where you are, over the next few days there are a series of bright ISS passes in the late evening twilight/early evening. The ISS passes close to the the bright planets Jupiter and Saturn and not far from Venus on some occasions. With some bright passes through the heart of the Milky Way. There are also some bright passes where it "winks out" as the ISS enters Earth's shadow. 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 in yellow, passes entering the shadow in blue.
Passes from Adelaide (ACST)
Date | Brightness | Start | Highest point | End | Pass type | ||||||
(mag) | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | ||
01 Sep | -1.2 | 19:12:06 | 10° | S | 19:13:10 | 11° | SSE | 19:13:10 | 11° | SSE | visible |
02 Sep | -1.1 | 20:00:19 | 10° | SSW | 20:01:14 | 16° | SSW | 20:01:14 | 16° | SSW | visible |
03 Sep | -2.3 | 19:13:32 | 10° | SSW | 19:16:23 | 24° | SSE | 19:16:23 | 24° | SSE | visible |
04 Sep | -1.7 | 18:26:53 | 10° | SSW | 18:29:09 | 16° | SSE | 18:31:23 | 10° | ESE | visible |
04 Sep | -1.6 | 20:02:52 | 10° | SW | 20:04:39 | 27° | WSW | 20:04:39 | 27° | WSW | visible |
05 Sep | -3.8 | 19:15:46 | 10° | SW | 19:19:12 | 71° | SE | 19:20:01 | 47° | ENE | visible |
06 Sep | -3.1 | 18:28:49 | 10° | SSW | 18:32:04 | 39° | SE | 18:35:18 | 10° | ENE | visible |
06 Sep | -1.1 | 20:06:23 | 10° | W | 20:08:34 | 17° | NW | 20:08:34 | 17° | NW | visible |
07 Sep | -1.9 | 19:18:40 | 10° | WSW | 19:21:42 | 30° | NW | 19:24:16 | 13° | N | visible |
08 Sep | -3.1 | 18:31:19 | 10° | SW | 18:34:41 | 57° | NW | 18:38:01 | 10° | NNE | visible |
10 Sep | -0.8 | 18:34:49 | 10° | W | 18:37:00 | 16° | NW | 18:39:10 | 10° | NNW | visible |
Passes from Brisbane (AEST)
Date | Brightness | Start | Highest point | End | Pass type | ||||||
(mag) | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | ||
04 Sep | -1.4 | 19:00:35 | 10° | S | 19:01:38 | 15° | S | 19:01:38 | 15° | S | visible |
05 Sep | -1.5 | 18:14:35 | 10° | SSE | 18:15:53 | 12° | SE | 18:16:59 | 10° | SE | visible |
05 Sep | -0.5 | 19:49:36 | 10° | SW | 19:50:01 | 13° | SW | 19:50:01 | 13° | SW | visible |
06 Sep | -3.6 | 19:02:28 | 10° | SW | 19:05:32 | 64° | S | 19:05:32 | 64° | S | visible |
07 Sep | -3.0 | 18:15:36 | 10° | SSW | 18:18:46 | 35° | SE | 18:21:13 | 15° | ENE | visible |
07 Sep | -0.4 | 19:53:44 | 10° | W | 19:54:16 | 11° | WNW | 19:54:16 | 11° | WNW | visible |
08 Sep | -1.6 | 19:05:31 | 10° | WSW | 19:08:20 | 24° | NW | 19:10:09 | 16° | N | visible |
09 Sep | -2.8 | 18:18:00 | 10° | SW | 18:21:19 | 50° | NW | 18:24:36 | 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. | ||
08 Sep | -2.3 | 20:11:19 | 10° | SSW | 20:13:13 | 31° | SSW | 20:13:13 | 31° | SSW | visible |
09 Sep | -2.9 | 19:24:31 | 10° | SSW | 19:27:36 | 31° | SE | 19:29:20 | 19° | ENE | visible |
10 Sep | -1.1 | 20:14:39 | 10° | WSW | 20:17:06 | 19° | NW | 20:18:43 | 14° | NNW | visible |
Passes from Hobart (AEST)
Date | Brightness | Start | Highest point | End | Pass type | ||||||
(mag) | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | ||
01 Sep | -2.9 | 19:40:30 | 10° | SW | 19:43:10 | 47° | SSW | 19:43:10 | 47° | SSW | visible |
02 Sep | -3.1 | 18:53:30 | 10° | SW | 18:56:49 | 43° | SSE | 18:58:14 | 27° | E | visible |
02 Sep | -0.5 | 20:30:33 | 10° | WSW | 20:31:14 | 14° | W | 20:31:14 | 14° | W | visible |
03 Sep | -2.9 | 19:43:16 | 10° | WSW | 19:46:23 | 46° | NW | 19:46:23 | 46° | NW | visible |
04 Sep | -3.7 | 18:56:08 | 10° | WSW | 18:59:35 | 79° | NNW | 19:01:38 | 22° | NE | visible |
05 Sep | -1.3 | 19:46:40 | 10° | W | 19:49:00 | 17° | NW | 19:50:01 | 15° | NNW | visible |
06 Sep | -1.8 | 18:59:05 | 10° | WSW | 19:02:04 | 28° | NW | 19:05:01 | 10° | NNE | visible |
07 Sep | -2.6 | 18:11:45 | 10° | WSW | 18:15:04 | 45° | NW | 18:18:21 | 10° | NE | visible |
Passes from Melbourne (AEST)
Date | Brightness | Start | Highest point | End | Pass type | ||||||
(mag) | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | ||
01 Sep | -1.8 | 19:41:18 | 10° | SSW | 19:43:10 | 21° | S | 19:43:10 | 21° | S | visible |
02 Sep | -1.8 | 18:54:31 | 10° | SSW | 18:56:58 | 18° | SSE | 18:58:14 | 15° | SE | visible |
02 Sep | -0.5 | 20:30:42 | 10° | SW | 20:31:14 | 14° | SW | 20:31:14 | 14° | SW | visible |
03 Sep | -3.1 | 19:43:39 | 10° | SW | 19:46:23 | 48° | SSW | 19:46:23 | 48° | SSW | visible |
04 Sep | -3.0 | 18:56:42 | 10° | SW | 18:59:57 | 38° | SE | 19:01:37 | 22° | E | visible |
04 Sep | -0.5 | 20:33:57 | 10° | W | 20:34:39 | 14° | W | 20:34:39 | 14° | W | visible |
05 Sep | -2.6 | 19:46:27 | 10° | WSW | 19:49:40 | 37° | NW | 19:50:01 | 36° | NNW | visible |
06 Sep | -3.5 | 18:59:13 | 10° | SW | 19:02:39 | 69° | NW | 19:05:32 | 14° | NE | visible |
07 Sep | -0.7 | 19:50:41 | 10° | WNW | 19:51:58 | 12° | NW | 19:53:14 | 10° | NNW | visible |
08 Sep | -1.2 | 19:02:25 | 10° | W | 19:05:02 | 20° | NW | 19:07:38 | 10° | N | visible |
Passes from Perth (AWST)
Date | Brightness | Start | Highest point | End | Pass type | ||||||
(mag) | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | ||
02 Sep | -0.7 | 20:04:08 | 10° | SSW | 20:04:15 | 11° | SSW | 20:04:15 | 11° | SSW | visible |
03 Sep | -1.7 | 19:17:32 | 10° | S | 19:19:24 | 17° | SSE | 19:19:24 | 17° | SSE | visible |
04 Sep | -1.4 | 18:31:23 | 10° | S | 18:32:40 | 12° | SSE | 18:33:56 | 10° | SE | visible |
04 Sep | -1.2 | 20:06:28 | 10° | SW | 20:07:40 | 20° | SW | 20:07:40 | 20° | SW | visible |
05 Sep | -3.6 | 19:19:27 | 10° | SW | 19:22:49 | 51° | SE | 19:23:03 | 50° | ESE | visible |
06 Sep | -2.6 | 18:32:36 | 10° | SSW | 18:35:39 | 29° | SE | 18:38:34 | 11° | E | visible |
06 Sep | -1.1 | 20:09:46 | 10° | WSW | 20:11:37 | 19° | WNW | 20:11:37 | 19° | WNW | visible |
07 Sep | -2.4 | 19:22:10 | 10° | WSW | 19:25:22 | 37° | NW | 19:27:18 | 19° | N | visible |
08 Sep | -3.6 | 18:34:54 | 10° | SW | 18:38:19 | 76° | NW | 18:41:42 | 10° | NE | visible |
09 Sep | -0.3 | 19:27:25 | 10° | WNW | 19:27:38 | 10° | NW | 19:27:50 | 10° | NW | visible |
10 Sep | -0.9 | 18:38:11 | 10° | W | 18:40:40 | 19° | NW | 18:43:09 | 10° | N | visible |
Passes from Sydney (AEST)
Date | Brightness | Start | Highest point | End | Pass type | ||||||
(mag) | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | ||
02 Sep | -1.5 | 18:56:39 | 10° | S | 18:58:14 | 15° | SSE | 18:58:14 | 15° | SSE | visible |
03 Sep | -1.3 | 18:10:43 | 10° | SSE | 18:11:25 | 10° | SSE | 18:12:05 | 10° | SE | visible |
03 Sep | -1.1 | 19:45:24 | 10° | SW | 19:46:23 | 18° | SW | 19:46:23 | 18° | SW | visible |
04 Sep | -3.0 | 18:58:28 | 10° | SSW | 19:01:38 | 36° | SE | 19:01:38 | 36° | SE | visible |
05 Sep | -2.2 | 18:11:43 | 10° | SSW | 18:14:30 | 23° | SE | 18:16:59 | 12° | E | visible |
05 Sep | -1.3 | 19:48:18 | 10° | WSW | 19:50:01 | 23° | W | 19:50:01 | 23° | W | visible |
06 Sep | -3.3 | 19:00:58 | 10° | SW | 19:04:21 | 60° | NW | 19:05:32 | 35° | NNE | visible |
07 Sep | -3.7 | 18:13:51 | 10° | SW | 18:17:17 | 70° | SE | 18:20:40 | 10° | NE | visible |
08 Sep | -0.9 | 19:04:30 | 10° | W | 19:06:43 | 16° | NW | 19:08:54 | 10° | NNW | visible |
09 Sep | -1.7 | 18:16:43 | 10° | WSW | 18:19:45 | 29° | NW | 18:22:44 | 10° | NNE | 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
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