Astroblog: Bright ISS passes, 12-16 October, 2023

Wednesday, October 11, 2023

Bright ISS passes, 12-16 October, 2023


The ISS as seen from Melbourne on the evening of Sunday 15 October at 18:48 AEDST. 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 15 October at 19:08 ACDST. 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 15 October at 19:26 AWST. Simulated in Stellarium (the ISS will actually be a bright dot). Click to embiggen.

All sky chart showing local times from Heavens Above for Sunday 15 October for Melbourne.	All sky chart showing local times from Heavens Above for Sunday 15 October for Adelaide.	All sky chart showing local times from Heavens Above for Sunday 15 October for Perth.

Over the next few days there are a series of bright ISS passes in the late evening twilight/early evening and the early morning. The ISS passes close to the several bright stars. For several sites the ISS passes through Scorpius (Melbourne very close to Antares on the 14th, Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne, Hobart on the 15th, Sydney on the 13th) or very close to Saturn (Brisbane 12th, Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne, on the 13th, Hobart very close on the 16th).

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 (ACDST)

Date	Brightness	Start			Highest point			End			Pass type
Date	(mag)	Time	Alt.	Az.	Time	Alt.	Az.	Time	Alt.	Az.	Pass type
11 Oct	-3.5	05:19:08	15°	SW	05:21:52	72°	SE	05:25:16	10°	NE	visible
12 Oct	-2.2	04:33:52	36°	ESE	04:33:52	36°	ESE	04:36:37	10°	ENE	visible
12 Oct	-2.1	06:07:36	10°	W	06:09:54	17°	NW	06:12:11	10°	N	visible
12 Oct	-2.8	21:09:58	10°	NW	21:12:15	40°	NW	21:12:15	40°	NW	visible
13 Oct	-2.8	05:22:01	30°	NNW	05:22:01	30°	NNW	05:24:37	10°	NNE	visible
13 Oct	-3.3	20:21:43	10°	NNW	20:24:55	41°	NE	20:27:35	14°	ESE	visible
13 Oct	-0.8	21:59:10	10°	W	22:00:36	17°	WSW	22:00:36	17°	WSW	visible
14 Oct	-1.9	21:10:01	10°	W	21:13:05	31°	SW	21:15:28	15°	SSE	visible
15 Oct	-3.0	20:21:04	10°	WNW	20:24:24	56°	SW	20:27:48	10°	SE	visible
15 Oct	-0.4	22:01:16	10°	SSW	22:01:46	10°	SSW	22:02:16	10°	SSW	visible
16 Oct	-0.7	21:10:53	10°	WSW	21:12:52	14°	SSW	21:14:51	10°	S	visible
17 Oct	-1.1	20:21:17	10°	W	20:23:58	21°	SSW	20:26:42	10°	SSE	visible
19 Oct	-0.5	20:22:38	10°	SW	20:23:35	11°	SSW	20:24:31	10°	S	visible

Passes from Brisbane (AEST)

Date	Brightness	Start			Highest point			End			Pass type
Date	(mag)	Time	Alt.	Az.	Time	Alt.	Az.	Time	Alt.	Az.	Pass type
11 Oct	-0.5	03:17:18	10°	SSE	03:18:39	12°	SE	03:19:59	10°	ESE	visible
11 Oct	-1.0	19:52:49	10°	WNW	19:53:33	15°	WNW	19:53:33	15°	WNW	visible
12 Oct	-3.5	04:03:53	10°	SW	04:07:13	70°	SE	04:10:35	10°	NE	visible
12 Oct	-3.9	19:04:19	10°	NW	19:07:40	74°	NE	19:09:13	30°	SE	visible
13 Oct	-2.0	03:19:00	32°	SE	03:19:00	32°	SE	03:21:49	10°	ENE	visible
13 Oct	-3.0	18:16:12	10°	NNW	18:19:15	33°	NE	18:22:20	10°	ESE	visible
13 Oct	-0.8	19:53:51	10°	W	19:56:02	16°	SW	19:57:35	13°	S	visible
14 Oct	-2.5	04:07:28	25°	NNW	04:07:28	25°	NNW	04:09:41	10°	N	visible
14 Oct	-1.6	19:04:24	10°	WNW	19:07:21	28°	SW	19:10:21	10°	SSE	visible
15 Oct	-3.0	18:15:24	10°	NW	18:18:43	56°	SW	18:22:05	10°	SSE	visible
16 Oct	-0.3	19:06:40	10°	SW	19:07:07	10°	SW	19:07:35	10°	SSW	visible

Passes from Darwin (ACT)

Date	Brightness	Start			Highest point			End			Pass type
Date	(mag)	Time	Alt.	Az.	Time	Alt.	Az.	Time	Alt.	Az.	Pass type
11 Oct	-1.6	05:58:46	10°	SSW	06:01:47	30°	SE	06:04:47	10°	ENE	visible
11 Oct	-3.4	19:16:19	10°	NNW	19:19:29	42°	NE	19:22:41	10°	SE	visible
12 Oct	-0.6	05:11:22	10°	SSE	05:13:18	14°	SE	05:15:15	10°	E	visible
12 Oct	-0.7	20:05:34	10°	W	20:07:41	16°	SW	20:09:49	10°	S	visible
13 Oct	-3.5	05:58:15	10°	SW	06:01:31	47°	NW	06:04:45	10°	NNE	visible
13 Oct	-1.9	19:16:05	10°	WNW	19:19:09	33°	SW	19:22:14	10°	SSE	visible
14 Oct	-3.4	05:10:30	16°	SSW	05:13:03	65°	SE	05:16:22	10°	NE	visible
15 Oct	-1.0	04:26:06	18°	E	04:26:06	18°	E	04:27:22	10°	ENE	visible
15 Oct	-1.6	06:00:21	10°	WNW	06:00:57	10°	WNW	06:01:32	10°	NW	visible
16 Oct	-1.4	05:14:40	13°	N	05:14:40	13°	N	05:15:08	10°	N	visible

Passes from Hobart (AEDST)

Date	Brightness	Start			Highest point			End			Pass type
Date	(mag)	Time	Alt.	Az.	Time	Alt.	Az.	Time	Alt.	Az.	Pass type
11 Oct	-2.7	04:16:10	43°	E	04:16:10	43°	E	04:18:40	10°	ENE	visible
11 Oct	-2.0	05:49:22	10°	W	05:51:40	17°	NW	05:53:57	10°	N	visible
12 Oct	-2.6	05:03:53	27°	NNW	05:03:53	27°	NNW	05:06:22	10°	NNE	visible
13 Oct	-3.1	20:54:37	10°	NNW	20:57:36	34°	NE	20:57:36	34°	NE	visible
14 Oct	-2.3	20:06:44	10°	N	20:09:21	21°	NE	20:11:59	10°	E	visible
14 Oct	-2.9	21:42:29	10°	WNW	21:45:29	52°	WSW	21:45:29	52°	WSW	visible
15 Oct	-3.8	20:53:48	10°	WNW	20:57:13	88°	SSW	20:59:54	16°	SE	visible
15 Oct	-0.9	22:31:27	10°	WSW	22:32:50	18°	SW	22:32:50	18°	SW	visible
16 Oct	-3.6	20:05:16	10°	NW	20:08:36	55°	NE	20:11:58	10°	ESE	visible
16 Oct	-1.8	21:42:26	10°	W	21:45:30	30°	SSW	21:46:52	22°	SSE	visible
17 Oct	-2.4	20:53:26	10°	W	20:56:41	40°	SSW	20:59:57	10°	SE	visible
17 Oct	-1.0	22:31:31	10°	SW	22:33:29	18°	SSW	22:33:29	18°	SSW	visible
18 Oct	-3.1	20:04:30	10°	WNW	20:07:52	60°	SSW	20:11:17	10°	SE	visible
18 Oct	-1.3	21:42:25	10°	WSW	21:45:07	21°	S	21:46:57	15°	SSE	visible
19 Oct	-1.5	20:53:15	10°	WSW	20:56:08	25°	SSW	20:59:03	10°	SE	visible
19 Oct	-1.0	22:31:08	10°	SW	22:33:07	18°	S	22:33:07	18°	S	visible
20 Oct	-1.9	20:04:03	10°	W	20:07:09	31°	SSW	20:10:16	10°	SE	visible
20 Oct	-1.2	21:42:07	10°	SW	21:44:38	19°	S	21:46:16	14°	SE	visible
20 Oct	-0.2	23:19:04	10°	SW	23:19:08	10°	SW	23:19:08	10°	SW	visible

Passes from Melbourne (AEDST)

Date	Brightness	Start			Highest point			End			Pass type
Date	(mag)	Time	Alt.	Az.	Time	Alt.	Az.	Time	Alt.	Az.	Pass type
11 Oct	-1.3	04:16:10	24°	SE	04:16:10	24°	SE	04:18:26	10°	E	visible
11 Oct	-3.1	05:49:08	10°	WSW	05:52:20	37°	NW	05:55:30	10°	NNE	visible
12 Oct	-3.9	05:03:53	70°	WNW	05:03:58	71°	NW	05:07:22	10°	NE	visible
12 Oct	-1.2	21:41:34	10°	NW	21:42:15	15°	NW	21:42:15	15°	NW	visible
13 Oct	-1.7	05:52:01	12°	NW	05:52:01	12°	NW	05:53:19	10°	NNW	visible
13 Oct	-3.7	20:53:09	10°	NW	20:56:28	56°	NE	20:57:35	35°	ESE	visible
14 Oct	-2.8	20:05:01	10°	NNW	20:08:01	29°	NE	20:11:02	10°	ESE	visible
14 Oct	-1.8	21:41:41	10°	W	21:44:44	29°	SSW	21:45:28	27°	S	visible
15 Oct	-2.7	20:52:43	10°	WNW	20:56:02	47°	SW	20:59:22	10°	SE	visible
15 Oct	-0.3	22:32:00	10°	SW	22:32:51	12°	SSW	22:32:51	12°	SSW	visible
16 Oct	-3.7	20:03:58	10°	NW	20:07:22	86°	SW	20:10:48	10°	SE	visible
16 Oct	-0.8	21:42:22	10°	WSW	21:44:32	16°	SSW	21:46:42	10°	SSE	visible
17 Oct	-1.2	20:52:56	10°	W	20:55:37	21°	SSW	20:58:21	10°	SSE	visible
18 Oct	-1.8	20:03:39	10°	W	20:06:45	31°	SSW	20:09:52	10°	SSE	visible
18 Oct	-0.4	21:43:55	10°	SSW	21:44:20	10°	SSW	21:44:45	10°	S	visible
19 Oct	-0.7	20:53:40	10°	SW	20:55:15	13°	SSW	20:56:50	10°	S	visible
20 Oct	-0.9	20:03:54	10°	WSW	20:06:10	16°	SSW	20:08:26	10°	SSE	visible

Passes from Perth (AWST)

Date	Brightness	Start			Highest point			End			Pass type
Date	(mag)	Time	Alt.	Az.	Time	Alt.	Az.	Time	Alt.	Az.	Pass type
11 Oct	-2.9	04:22:06	10°	SW	04:25:24	52°	SE	04:28:42	10°	ENE	visible
11 Oct	-1.8	19:25:23	10°	N	19:26:36	16°	NNE	19:26:36	16°	NNE	visible
12 Oct	-1.7	03:36:52	28°	SE	03:36:53	28°	SE	03:39:53	10°	E	visible
12 Oct	-2.3	05:10:53	10°	WSW	05:13:29	20°	NW	05:16:04	10°	N	visible
12 Oct	-2.9	20:12:29	10°	NW	20:15:17	50°	W	20:15:17	50°	W	visible
13 Oct	-3.3	04:25:02	40°	NW	04:25:08	40°	NW	04:28:19	10°	NNE	visible
13 Oct	-3.8	19:23:59	10°	NW	19:27:19	67°	NE	19:30:36	11°	SE	visible
13 Oct	-0.3	21:02:44	10°	WSW	21:03:36	12°	SW	21:03:36	12°	SW	visible
14 Oct	-1.1	20:13:02	10°	W	20:15:38	20°	SW	20:18:15	10°	SSE	visible
15 Oct	-2.0	19:23:47	10°	WNW	19:26:54	34°	SW	19:30:03	10°	SSE	visible
17 Oct	-0.7	19:24:43	10°	WSW	19:26:33	14°	SSW	19:28:23	10°	S	visible

Passes from Sydney (AEDST)

Date	Brightness	Start			Highest point			End			Pass type
Date	(mag)	Time	Alt.	Az.	Time	Alt.	Az.	Time	Alt.	Az.	Pass type
11 Oct	-1.4	04:16:10	20°	S	04:17:16	23°	SE	04:20:04	10°	E	visible
11 Oct	-2.8	05:50:58	10°	WSW	05:54:02	30°	NW	05:57:03	10°	NNE	visible
12 Oct	-3.8	05:03:53	25°	WSW	05:05:41	61°	NW	05:09:01	10°	NE	visible
12 Oct	-2.8	20:05:48	10°	N	20:08:42	27°	NE	20:09:12	26°	ENE	visible
13 Oct	-1.9	04:19:00	26°	ENE	04:19:00	26°	ENE	04:20:36	10°	NE	visible
13 Oct	-2.5	20:53:33	10°	WNW	20:56:48	42°	SW	20:57:35	35°	S	visible
14 Oct	-1.3	05:07:28	10°	N	05:07:28	10°	N	05:07:32	10°	N	visible
14 Oct	-3.7	20:04:50	10°	NW	20:08:13	82°	SW	20:11:39	10°	SE	visible
14 Oct	-0.4	21:44:08	10°	SW	21:45:26	12°	SSW	21:45:29	12°	SSW	visible
15 Oct	-0.8	20:54:15	10°	WSW	20:56:36	17°	SSW	20:58:57	10°	SSE	visible
16 Oct	-1.5	20:04:51	10°	W	20:07:47	27°	SW	20:10:46	10°	SSE	visible
18 Oct	-0.6	20:05:55	10°	SW	20:07:26	12°	SSW	20:08:57	10°	S	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