Thursday, April 13, 2023
Bright ISS passes 14 April to 21 April 2023
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| The ISS as seen from Brisbane on the evening of Saturday 15 April 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 16 April at 19:08 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 16 April at 19:08 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 Saturday 15 April for Brisbane. | All sky chart showing local times from Heavens Above for Sunday 16 April for Adelaide. | All sky chart showing local times from Heavens Above for Sunday 16 April for Perth. |
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 several bright stars. For several sites the ISS passes very close to bright Venus (Brisbane, Perth (see above) Sydney on the 18th, you will need a level, unobstructed horizon to see this at its best).
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. | ||
| 12 Apr | -1.9 | 05:40:54 | 15° | WNW | 05:41:07 | 15° | NW | 05:43:11 | 10° | NNW | visible |
| 13 Apr | -1.1 | 04:55:46 | 12° | N | 04:55:46 | 12° | N | 04:56:08 | 10° | N | visible |
| 13 Apr | -0.8 | 19:53:37 | 10° | NNW | 19:53:38 | 10° | NNW | 19:53:38 | 10° | NNW | visible |
| 14 Apr | -2.3 | 19:06:03 | 10° | N | 19:08:20 | 23° | NE | 19:08:20 | 23° | NE | visible |
| 15 Apr | -1.6 | 18:19:12 | 10° | NNE | 18:20:49 | 13° | NE | 18:22:27 | 10° | E | visible |
| 15 Apr | -1.7 | 19:53:57 | 10° | WNW | 19:55:50 | 28° | W | 19:55:50 | 28° | W | visible |
| 16 Apr | -3.9 | 19:05:40 | 10° | NW | 19:09:01 | 86° | NNE | 19:10:10 | 39° | SE | visible |
| 17 Apr | -3.2 | 18:17:40 | 10° | NNW | 18:20:52 | 43° | NE | 18:24:06 | 10° | ESE | visible |
| 17 Apr | -1.2 | 19:55:14 | 10° | W | 19:57:19 | 19° | SW | 19:57:19 | 19° | SW | visible |
| 18 Apr | -2.1 | 19:06:22 | 10° | W | 19:09:23 | 30° | SW | 19:11:21 | 17° | SSE | visible |
| 19 Apr | -3.0 | 18:17:45 | 10° | WNW | 18:21:02 | 52° | SW | 18:24:23 | 10° | SE | visible |
| 20 Apr | -1.0 | 19:08:02 | 10° | WSW | 19:09:53 | 14° | SSW | 19:11:45 | 10° | S | visible |
| 21 Apr | -1.5 | 18:18:45 | 10° | W | 18:21:22 | 20° | SSW | 18:23:59 | 10° | SSE | visible |
Passes from Brisbane (AEST)
| Date | Brightness | Start | Highest point | End | Pass type | ||||||
| (mag) | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | ||
| 12 Apr | -3.7 | 04:37:55 | 60° | SSW | 04:38:25 | 79° | SE | 04:41:49 | 10° | NE | visible |
| 12 Apr | -0.6 | 19:35:48 | 10° | NW | 19:35:49 | 10° | NW | 19:35:49 | 10° | NW | visible |
| 13 Apr | -0.7 | 03:52:46 | 15° | ENE | 03:52:46 | 15° | ENE | 03:53:30 | 10° | ENE | visible |
| 13 Apr | -1.6 | 05:25:45 | 11° | WNW | 05:26:45 | 12° | NW | 05:28:09 | 10° | NNW | visible |
| 13 Apr | -3.0 | 18:47:58 | 10° | NNW | 18:50:39 | 35° | NNE | 18:50:39 | 35° | NNE | visible |
| 14 Apr | -1.5 | 04:40:39 | 15° | N | 04:40:39 | 15° | N | 04:41:34 | 10° | N | visible |
| 14 Apr | -2.1 | 18:00:40 | 10° | N | 18:03:04 | 18° | NE | 18:05:20 | 11° | E | visible |
| 14 Apr | -1.0 | 19:36:51 | 10° | W | 19:38:18 | 19° | WSW | 19:38:18 | 19° | WSW | visible |
| 15 Apr | -2.9 | 18:48:11 | 10° | WNW | 18:51:26 | 47° | SW | 18:52:49 | 28° | SSE | visible |
| 16 Apr | -3.8 | 17:59:54 | 10° | NW | 18:03:14 | 78° | NE | 18:06:37 | 10° | SE | visible |
| 17 Apr | -1.0 | 18:49:51 | 10° | WSW | 18:51:55 | 15° | SW | 18:53:59 | 10° | S | visible |
| 18 Apr | -1.8 | 18:00:38 | 10° | WNW | 18:03:31 | 26° | SW | 18:06:26 | 10° | SSE | visible |
Passes from Darwin (ACT)
| Date | Brightness | Start | Highest point | End | Pass type | ||||||
| (mag) | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | ||
| 12 Apr | -0.9 | 05:42:20 | 10° | S | 05:44:34 | 16° | SE | 05:46:47 | 10° | E | visible |
| 12 Apr | -2.3 | 19:00:00 | 10° | N | 19:02:35 | 21° | NE | 19:05:10 | 10° | ESE | visible |
| 12 Apr | -0.7 | 20:37:23 | 10° | W | 20:38:49 | 14° | WSW | 20:38:49 | 14° | WSW | visible |
| 13 Apr | -3.2 | 06:29:56 | 10° | SW | 06:33:09 | 41° | NW | 06:36:20 | 10° | NNE | visible |
| 13 Apr | -1.9 | 19:48:06 | 10° | WNW | 19:51:02 | 28° | SW | 19:53:38 | 12° | S | visible |
| 14 Apr | -3.7 | 05:43:38 | 32° | SSW | 05:45:04 | 78° | SE | 05:48:26 | 10° | NE | visible |
| 14 Apr | -3.5 | 18:59:36 | 10° | NW | 19:02:54 | 70° | SW | 19:06:14 | 10° | SSE | visible |
| 15 Apr | -1.1 | 04:58:31 | 21° | E | 04:58:31 | 21° | E | 04:59:59 | 10° | ENE | visible |
| 16 Apr | -1.8 | 05:46:20 | 17° | NNW | 05:46:20 | 17° | NNW | 05:47:49 | 10° | N | visible |
| 16 Apr | -0.9 | 19:01:17 | 10° | W | 19:03:17 | 15° | SW | 19:05:16 | 10° | SSW | visible |
Passes from Hobart (AEST)
| Date | Brightness | Start | Highest point | End | Pass type | ||||||
| (mag) | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | ||
| 15 Apr | -1.5 | 18:51:50 | 10° | NNE | 18:52:50 | 13° | NE | 18:52:50 | 13° | NE | visible |
| 16 Apr | -2.0 | 19:38:25 | 10° | NW | 19:40:08 | 27° | NW | 19:40:08 | 27° | NW | visible |
| 17 Apr | -3.0 | 18:50:29 | 10° | NNW | 18:53:36 | 36° | NE | 18:54:18 | 32° | ENE | visible |
| 17 Apr | -0.2 | 20:27:10 | 10° | W | 20:27:15 | 10° | W | 20:27:15 | 10° | W | visible |
| 18 Apr | -2.2 | 18:02:50 | 10° | N | 18:05:29 | 22° | NE | 18:08:10 | 10° | E | visible |
| 18 Apr | -2.5 | 19:38:41 | 10° | WNW | 19:41:17 | 42° | WSW | 19:41:17 | 42° | WSW | visible |
| 19 Apr | -3.8 | 18:50:19 | 10° | WNW | 18:53:42 | 84° | SW | 18:55:10 | 32° | SE | visible |
| 19 Apr | -0.1 | 20:28:02 | 10° | WSW | 20:28:06 | 10° | WSW | 20:28:06 | 10° | WSW | visible |
| 20 Apr | -3.5 | 18:02:06 | 10° | NW | 18:05:25 | 58° | NE | 18:08:46 | 10° | ESE | visible |
| 20 Apr | -1.9 | 19:39:21 | 10° | W | 19:41:52 | 27° | SW | 19:41:52 | 27° | SW | visible |
| 21 Apr | -2.6 | 18:50:41 | 10° | W | 18:53:54 | 38° | SSW | 18:55:32 | 23° | SSE | visible |
Passes from Melbourne (AEST)
| Date | Brightness | Start | Highest point | End | Pass type | ||||||
| (mag) | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | ||
| 12 Apr | -1.1 | 04:37:54 | 15° | NE | 04:37:54 | 15° | NE | 04:38:34 | 10° | NE | visible |
| 14 Apr | -1.6 | 19:37:13 | 10° | NNW | 19:38:18 | 18° | N | 19:38:18 | 18° | N | visible |
| 15 Apr | -2.1 | 18:49:50 | 10° | N | 18:52:15 | 18° | NE | 18:52:50 | 18° | ENE | visible |
| 15 Apr | -0.4 | 20:25:33 | 10° | WNW | 20:25:48 | 12° | WNW | 20:25:48 | 12° | WNW | visible |
| 16 Apr | -3.4 | 19:37:10 | 10° | NW | 19:40:08 | 63° | W | 19:40:08 | 63° | W | visible |
| 17 Apr | -3.7 | 18:49:01 | 10° | NW | 18:52:20 | 59° | NE | 18:54:19 | 22° | ESE | visible |
| 17 Apr | -0.3 | 20:26:46 | 10° | WSW | 20:27:15 | 12° | WSW | 20:27:15 | 12° | WSW | visible |
| 18 Apr | -2.1 | 19:37:56 | 10° | W | 19:40:55 | 28° | SSW | 19:41:17 | 27° | SSW | visible |
| 19 Apr | -2.8 | 18:49:16 | 10° | WNW | 18:52:31 | 44° | SW | 18:55:10 | 14° | SE | visible |
| 20 Apr | -1.2 | 19:39:20 | 10° | WSW | 19:41:24 | 15° | SSW | 19:41:52 | 15° | SSW | visible |
| 21 Apr | -1.5 | 18:50:14 | 10° | WSW | 18:52:51 | 20° | SSW | 18:55:29 | 10° | SSE | visible |
Passes from Perth (AWST)
| Date | Brightness | Start | Highest point | End | Pass type | ||||||
| (mag) | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | ||
| 12 Apr | -0.4 | 04:10:54 | 12° | E | 04:10:54 | 12° | E | 04:11:13 | 10° | ENE | visible |
| 12 Apr | -2.1 | 05:43:53 | 17° | WNW | 05:44:44 | 18° | NW | 05:47:10 | 10° | N | visible |
| 13 Apr | -1.6 | 04:58:45 | 18° | N | 04:58:45 | 18° | N | 04:59:53 | 10° | NNE | visible |
| 13 Apr | -1.1 | 19:55:53 | 10° | NW | 19:56:36 | 15° | NW | 19:56:36 | 15° | NW | visible |
| 14 Apr | -3.1 | 19:08:02 | 10° | NNW | 19:11:09 | 36° | NE | 19:11:17 | 36° | NE | visible |
| 15 Apr | -2.1 | 18:20:41 | 10° | N | 18:23:06 | 19° | NE | 18:25:33 | 10° | E | visible |
| 15 Apr | -1.5 | 19:56:41 | 10° | WNW | 19:58:44 | 25° | WSW | 19:58:44 | 25° | WSW | visible |
| 16 Apr | -3.2 | 19:08:07 | 10° | WNW | 19:11:25 | 55° | SW | 19:13:04 | 26° | SSE | visible |
| 17 Apr | -3.8 | 18:19:52 | 10° | NW | 18:23:12 | 71° | NE | 18:26:35 | 10° | SE | visible |
| 17 Apr | -0.7 | 19:58:50 | 10° | WSW | 20:00:12 | 12° | SSW | 20:00:12 | 12° | SSW | visible |
| 18 Apr | -1.3 | 19:09:20 | 10° | W | 19:11:51 | 19° | SW | 19:14:12 | 11° | S | visible |
| 19 Apr | -2.1 | 18:20:23 | 10° | WNW | 18:23:26 | 31° | SW | 18:26:31 | 10° | SSE | visible |
| 21 Apr | -1.0 | 18:22:10 | 10° | WSW | 18:23:48 | 13° | SSW | 18:25:27 | 10° | S | visible |
Passes from Sydney (AEST)
| Date | Brightness | Start | Highest point | End | Pass type | ||||||
| (mag) | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | ||
| 12 Apr | -2.7 | 04:37:55 | 37° | N | 04:37:55 | 37° | N | 04:40:13 | 10° | NNE | visible |
| 13 Apr | -1.4 | 18:50:02 | 10° | NNE | 18:50:39 | 12° | NNE | 18:50:39 | 12° | NNE | visible |
| 14 Apr | -1.3 | 19:37:09 | 10° | NW | 19:38:18 | 20° | NW | 19:38:18 | 20° | NW | visible |
| 15 Apr | -3.7 | 18:49:04 | 10° | NNW | 18:52:22 | 56° | NE | 18:52:49 | 50° | E | visible |
| 16 Apr | -2.6 | 18:01:21 | 10° | N | 18:04:16 | 28° | NE | 18:07:11 | 10° | ESE | visible |
| 16 Apr | -1.3 | 19:38:11 | 10° | W | 19:40:08 | 21° | WSW | 19:40:08 | 21° | WSW | visible |
| 17 Apr | -2.6 | 18:49:28 | 10° | WNW | 18:52:40 | 40° | SW | 18:54:19 | 23° | SSE | visible |
| 18 Apr | -3.6 | 18:01:01 | 10° | NW | 18:04:23 | 77° | SW | 18:07:47 | 10° | SE | visible |
| 18 Apr | -0.6 | 19:40:34 | 10° | SW | 19:41:17 | 11° | SSW | 19:41:17 | 11° | SSW | visible |
| 19 Apr | -1.1 | 18:50:53 | 10° | WSW | 18:53:07 | 16° | SSW | 18:55:10 | 11° | S | visible |
| 20 Apr | -1.8 | 18:01:47 | 10° | W | 18:04:38 | 25° | SW | 18:07:31 | 10° | SSE | 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 @ 12:06 am 
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