Astroblog


ISS as seen from Brisbane on the evening of Saturday 7 April at 4:27 AEST. Simulated in Stellarium, the ISS is passing directly over the Moon. Click to embiggen.	ISS as seen from Adelaide on the evening of Friday 5 April at 6:59 ACDST. Simulated in Stellarium (the ISS will actually be a bright dot). Click to embiggen.	ISS as seen from Perth on the evening of Friday 5 April at 6:03 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 Saturday 7 April for Brisbane.	All sky chart showing local times from Heavens Above for Friday 5 April for Adelaide.	All sky chart showing local times from Heavens Above for Friday 5 April for Perth.

I normally don't bother with morning passes of the ISS, as geeing up is a pain. However, this time the ISS passes coincide with a very nice lineup of the Crescent Moon, Mars, Saturn, and Venus. In some cases the ISS passes through the lineup, and for Brisbane on the 7th, the ISS passes over the Moon! Well worth getting up for.

Also in this time frame there are a series of bright Tiangong passes in the late evening twilight/early evening and the early morning. See Heavens Above for details.

The following tables are from data provided from Heavens Above. Particularly impressive passes are highlighted in yellow. Daylight savings ends on Sunday April 7.

Passes from Adelaide (ACDST/ACST)

Date	Brightness	Start			Highest point			End			Pass type
Date	(mag)	Time	Alt.	Az.	Time	Alt.	Az.	Time	Alt.	Az.	Pass type
03 Apr	-1.2	06:54:56	10°	SSW	06:57:25	18°	SSE	06:59:53	10°	ESE	visible
04 Apr	-0.9	06:07:18	10°	S	06:08:56	13°	SSE	06:10:33	10°	SE	visible
05 Apr	-2.7	06:54:31	10°	SW	06:57:50	45°	SE	07:01:06	10°	ENE	visible
06 Apr	-1.8	06:07:13	15°	SSW	06:09:26	27°	SE	06:12:22	10°	E	visible
07 Apr	-1.0	04:21:24	17°	SE	04:21:24	17°	SE	04:23:19	10°	ESE	visible
07 Apr	-3.5	05:54:34	10°	WSW	05:57:53	51°	NW	06:01:10	10°	NNE	visible
08 Apr	-3.7	05:08:38	45°	SW	05:09:34	80°	SE	05:12:56	10°	NE	visible
09 Apr	-1.2	04:23:03	21°	E	04:23:03	21°	E	04:24:24	10°	ENE	visible
09 Apr	-1.8	05:56:00	12°	W	05:57:37	15°	NW	05:59:39	10°	NNW	visible
10 Apr	-2.1	05:10:31	23°	NNW	05:10:31	23°	NNW	05:12:18	10°	NNE	visible
11 Apr	-1.7	19:21:38	10°	N	19:22:52	17°	NNE	19:22:52	17°	NNE	visible
12 Apr	-1.6	18:34:30	10°	NNE	18:36:07	13°	NE	18:37:12	11°	ENE	visible
12 Apr	-1.0	20:09:11	10°	WNW	20:10:09	17°	WNW	20:10:09	17°	WNW	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
07 Apr	-1.4	04:52:10	10°	SSW	04:54:53	22°	SE	04:57:34	10°	E	visible
08 Apr	-0.8	04:05:41	12°	SSE	04:06:22	13°	SE	04:07:58	10°	ESE	visible
09 Apr	-3.7	04:53:03	24°	SW	04:54:56	80°	SE	04:58:18	10°	NE	visible
10 Apr	-1.7	04:07:33	29°	E	04:07:33	29°	E	04:09:40	10°	ENE	visible
10 Apr	-1.9	19:03:56	10°	NNW	19:05:25	22°	N	19:05:25	22°	N	visible
11 Apr	-2.3	04:55:06	23°	NW	04:55:06	23°	NW	04:57:24	10°	N	visible
11 Apr	-2.1	18:16:20	10°	N	18:18:45	18°	NE	18:19:54	16°	E	visible
11 Apr	-0.4	19:52:27	10°	W	19:52:51	12°	W	19:52:51	12°	W	visible
12 Apr	-3.0	19:03:29	10°	WNW	19:06:47	49°	SW	19:07:12	46°	SSW	visible

Passes from Darwin (ACST)

Date	Brightness	Start			Highest point			End			Pass type
Date	(mag)	Time	Alt.	Az.	Time	Alt.	Az.	Time	Alt.	Az.	Pass type
08 Apr	-2.7	20:03:56	10°	NNW	20:06:08	34°	N	20:06:08	34°	N	visible
09 Apr	-0.9	05:58:51	10°	S	06:01:03	16°	SE	06:03:15	10°	E	visible
09 Apr	-2.3	19:16:15	10°	N	19:18:51	21°	NE	19:20:49	14°	E	visible
09 Apr	-0.2	20:53:36	10°	W	20:53:47	11°	W	20:53:47	11°	W	visible
10 Apr	-1.9	20:04:02	10°	WNW	20:07:00	29°	SW	20:08:23	21°	S	visible
11 Apr	-3.7	05:58:04	14°	SSW	06:00:55	77°	SE	06:04:14	10°	NE	visible
11 Apr	-3.5	19:15:13	10°	NW	19:18:33	72°	SW	19:21:55	10°	SSE	visible
12 Apr	-2.0	05:12:41	30°	ESE	05:12:41	30°	ESE	05:15:28	10°	ENE	visible

Passes from Hobart (AEDST/AEST)

Date	Brightness	Start			Highest point			End			Pass type
Date	(mag)	Time	Alt.	Az.	Time	Alt.	Az.	Time	Alt.	Az.	Pass type
03 Apr	-2.0	05:49:23	21°	SSW	05:50:46	27°	SSE	05:53:47	10°	E	visible
04 Apr	-1.2	05:03:18	20°	SE	05:03:18	20°	SE	05:05:08	10°	ESE	visible
04 Apr	-3.6	06:36:14	11°	SW	06:39:31	77°	SSE	06:42:55	10°	ENE	visible
05 Apr	-3.0	05:50:13	36°	SSW	05:51:11	49°	SSE	05:54:31	10°	ENE	visible
06 Apr	-1.3	05:04:16	23°	ESE	05:04:16	23°	ESE	05:05:57	10°	E	visible
06 Apr	-3.2	06:37:13	16°	WSW	06:39:35	40°	NW	06:42:47	10°	NNE	visible
07 Apr	-3.8	04:51:24	69°	NNW	04:51:24	69°	NNW	04:54:41	10°	NE	visible
08 Apr	-0.9	04:05:41	15°	ENE	04:05:41	15°	ENE	04:06:20	10°	ENE	visible
08 Apr	-1.9	05:38:38	15°	WNW	05:39:19	15°	NW	05:41:25	10°	N	visible
09 Apr	-1.5	04:53:03	16°	N	04:53:03	16°	N	04:53:58	10°	NNE	visible
12 Apr	-1.1	19:07:11	10°	NNE	19:07:11	10°	NNE	19:07:11	10°	NNE	visible

Passes from Melbourne (AEDST/AEST)

Date	Brightness	Start			Highest point			End			Pass type
Date	(mag)	Time	Alt.	Az.	Time	Alt.	Az.	Time	Alt.	Az.	Pass type
03 Apr	-0.9	05:49:24	10°	S	05:50:43	12°	SSE	05:52:06	10°	SE	visible
04 Apr	-1.9	06:36:46	10°	SSW	06:39:49	28°	SSE	06:42:49	10°	E	visible
05 Apr	-1.4	05:50:13	17°	S	05:51:22	20°	SSE	05:53:58	10°	ESE	visible
06 Apr	-0.4	05:04:17	12°	SE	05:04:17	12°	SE	05:04:52	10°	ESE	visible
06 Apr	-3.6	06:37:13	14°	SW	06:40:05	75°	SE	06:43:28	10°	NE	visible
07 Apr	-2.8	04:51:24	41°	SSE	04:51:42	42°	SE	04:54:57	10°	ENE	visible
08 Apr	-0.4	04:05:41	13°	E	04:05:41	13°	E	04:06:12	10°	E	visible
08 Apr	-2.9	05:38:39	24°	W	05:40:00	33°	NW	05:43:05	10°	NNE	visible
09 Apr	-2.4	04:53:03	32°	NNE	04:53:03	32°	NNE	04:55:03	10°	NE	visible
10 Apr	-1.3	05:40:31	10°	NW	05:40:31	10°	NW	05:40:36	10°	NW	visible
11 Apr	-0.8	19:52:51	10°	NNW	19:52:51	10°	NNW	19:52:51	10°	NNW	visible
12 Apr	-2.0	19:05:11	10°	N	19:07:12	18°	NE	19:07:12	18°	NE	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
03 Apr	-0.9	05:59:06	10°	S	06:00:52	13°	SSE	06:02:39	10°	ESE	visible
05 Apr	-2.1	05:58:12	10°	SSW	06:01:20	33°	SE	06:04:27	10°	ENE	visible
06 Apr	-1.3	05:10:18	10°	SSW	05:12:55	20°	SE	05:15:29	10°	E	visible
07 Apr	-0.7	04:24:21	13°	SSE	04:24:22	13°	SSE	04:25:59	10°	ESE	visible
07 Apr	-3.7	05:58:03	10°	SW	06:01:26	68°	NW	06:04:47	10°	NE	visible
08 Apr	-3.3	05:11:35	29°	SSW	05:13:05	58°	SE	05:16:26	10°	ENE	visible
09 Apr	-1.2	04:26:00	22°	E	04:26:00	22°	E	04:27:42	10°	ENE	visible
09 Apr	-2.1	05:58:58	11°	W	06:01:12	18°	NW	06:03:35	10°	N	visible
10 Apr	-2.8	05:13:29	32°	NNW	05:13:29	32°	NNW	05:16:01	10°	NNE	visible
11 Apr	-2.5	19:23:40	10°	NNW	19:25:50	29°	NNE	19:25:50	29°	NNE	visible
12 Apr	-2.1	18:36:01	10°	N	18:38:26	19°	NE	18:40:09	13°	E	visible
12 Apr	-0.9	20:11:56	10°	WNW	20:13:05	18°	W	20:13:05	18°	W	visibl

Passes from Sydney (AEDST/AEST)

Date	Brightness	Start			Highest point			End			Pass type
Date	(mag)	Time	Alt.	Az.	Time	Alt.	Az.	Time	Alt.	Az.	Pass type
04 Apr	-1.7	06:38:37	10°	SSW	06:41:34	26°	SE	06:44:30	10°	E	visible
05 Apr	-1.1	05:50:47	10°	SSW	05:53:07	17°	SSE	05:55:27	10°	ESE	visible
06 Apr	-0.7	05:04:17	11°	SSE	05:04:35	12°	SSE	05:05:49	10°	SE	visible
06 Apr	-3.6	06:38:23	10°	SW	06:41:48	81°	SE	06:45:11	10°	NE	visible
07 Apr	-2.6	04:51:23	19°	SSW	04:53:26	42°	SE	04:56:41	10°	ENE	visible
08 Apr	-1.4	04:05:41	23°	SE	04:05:41	23°	SE	04:07:51	10°	E	visible
08 Apr	-2.6	05:38:45	10°	WSW	05:41:42	27°	NW	05:44:36	10°	N	visible
09 Apr	-3.7	04:53:03	51°	WNW	04:53:24	54°	NW	04:56:42	10°	NNE	visible
10 Apr	-1.1	04:07:33	17°	NE	04:07:33	17°	NE	04:08:24	10°	NE	visible
11 Apr	-1.1	04:55:06	10°	NNW	04:55:06	10°	NNW	04:55:10	10°	NNW	visible
11 Apr	-0.5	19:52:48	10°	NW	19:52:52	11°	NW	19:52:52	11°	NW	visible
12 Apr	-3.3	19:04:24	10°	NNW	19:07:12	48°	N	19:07:12	48°	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 ISS passing over the Moon or a 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/Tiangong appearing due to orbit changes not picked up by the predictions. Use the most recent prediction for your site.

Labels: ISS, Mars, Moon, Satellite, Saturn, tiangong, unaided eye, Venus

# posted by Ian Musgrave @ 11:23 pm 0 comments


ISS and Tiangong as seen from Adelaide on the evening of Friday 9 February at 21:07 ACDST. Simulated in Stellarium (the ISS will actually be a bright dot). Click to embiggen.	ISS and Tiangong as seen from Sydney on the evening of Friday 9 February at 21:37 AEDST. Simulated in Stellarium (the ISS will actually be a bright dot). Click to embiggen.	ISS and Tiangong as seen from Hobart on the evening of Friday 9 February at 21:37 AEDST. Simulated in Stellarium (the ISS will actually be a bright dot). Click to embiggen.

All sky chart showing local times from Heavens Above for Friday 9 February for Adelaide.	All sky chart showing local times from Heavens Above for Friday 9 February for Sydney.	All sky chart showing local times from Heavens Above for Friday 9 February for Hobart.

Tonight (Friday 9 February) most of Australia will see bright asses of the ISS and the Tiangong space station. Most are concurrent, but for Adelaide, Sydney and Hobart the occur at the same time (see above). There are too many passes for me to do all of Australia, so go to Heavens Above and look at the dedicated pass times for your site.

Adelaide:

ISS

Event	Time	Altitude	Azimuth	Distance (km)	Brightness	Sun altitude
Rises	21:00:26	0°	335° (NNW)	2,350	0.0	-9.1°
Reaches altitude 10°	21:02:40	10°	346° (NNW)	1,494	-1.1	-9.5°
Maximum altitude	21:05:38	30°	49° (NE)	788	-2.9	-10.1°
Drops below altitude 10°	21:08:39	10°	112° (ESE)	1,512	-1.3	-10.7°
Enters shadow	21:10:04	3°	119° (ESE)	2,048	-0.6	-10.9°

Date:	09 February 2024
Orbit:	416 x 419 km, 51.6° (Epoch: 08 February)

Tiangong

Event	Time	Altitude	Azimuth	Distance (km)	Brightness	Sun altitude
Rises	21:00:30	0°	244° (WSW)	2,261	4.2	-9.2°
Reaches altitude 10°	21:02:45	10°	232° (SW)	1,404	2.2	-9.6°
Maximum altitude	21:05:35	29°	169° (SSE)	736	-0.6	-10.1°
Enters shadow	21:08:22	10°	106° (ESE)	1,390	0.2	-10.6°

Date:	09 February 2024
Orbit:	373 x 383 km, 41.5° (Epoch: 08 February)

Sydney:

ISS

Event	Time	Altitude	Azimuth	Distance (km)	Brightness	Sun altitude
Rises	21:32:01	0°	306° (NW)	2,357	0.3	-19.0°
Reaches altitude 10°	21:34:08	10°	301° (WNW)	1,500	-0.7	-19.4°
Maximum altitude	21:37:27	57°	221° (SW)	505	-3.1	-20.0°
Enters shadow	21:40:04	15°	144° (SE)	1,224	-1.4	-20.4°

Date:	09 February 2024
Orbit:	416 x 419 km, 51.6° (Epoch: 08 February)

Tiangong

Event	Time	Altitude	Azimuth	Distance (km)	Brightness	Sun altitude
Rises	21:33:13	0°	241° (WSW)	2,258	3.4	-19.2°
Reaches altitude 10°	21:35:22	10°	233° (SW)	1,401	1.9	-19.6°
Enters shadow	21:38:22	42°	161° (SSE)	552	-1.3	-20.1°

Date:	09 February 2024
Orbit:	373 x 383 km, 41.5° (Epoch: 08 February)

Hobart:

ISS

Event	Time	Altitude	Azimuth	Distance (km)	Brightness	Sun altitude
Rises	21:33:18	0°	332° (NNW)	2,359	0.0	-11.7°
Reaches altitude 10°	21:35:34	10°	344° (NNW)	1,503	-1.1	-12.1°
Maximum altitude	21:38:29	27°	44° (NE)	848	-2.8	-12.5°
Enters shadow	21:40:04	19°	86° (E)	1,088	-2.2	-12.7°

Date:	09 February 2024
Orbit:	416 x 419 km, 51.6° (Epoch: 08 February)

Tiangong

Event	Time	Altitude	Azimuth	Distance (km)	Brightness	Sun altitude
Rises	21:31:42	0°	265° (W)	2,261	3.0	-11.5°
Reaches altitude 10°	21:33:52	10°	273° (W)	1,404	1.6	-11.8°
Maximum altitude	21:36:50	38°	342° (NNW)	605	-1.3	-12.2°
Enters shadow	21:38:22	22°	37° (NE)	892	-0.9	-12.5°

Date:	09 February 2024
Orbit:	373 x 383 km, 41.5° (Epoch: 08 February)

Labels: ISS, Satellite, tiangong, unaided eye

# posted by Ian Musgrave @ 8:03 am 0 comments


Tiangong as seen from Melbourne on the evening of Thursday 1 February at 21:44 AEDST. Simulated in Stellarium (the ISS will actually be a bright dot). Click to embiggen.	Tiangong as seen from Adelaide on the evening of Thursday 1 February at 21:12 ACDST. Simulated in Stellarium (the ISS will actually be a bright dot). Click to embiggen.	Tiangong as seen from Perth on the evening of Thursday 1 February at 20:14 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 Thursday 1 February for Melbourne.	All sky chart showing local times from Heavens Above for Thursday 1 February for Adelaide.	All sky chart showing local times from Heavens Above for Thursday 1 February for Perth.

Relatively bright passes of the Chinese space station Tiangong visible in the evening from Australia aren't that common. Over the next few days there are a series of bright Tiangong passes in the late evening twilight/early evening and the early morning. Tiangong passes close to Jupiter and several bright stars.Jupiter is a handy orientation point for many passes.

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
31 Jan	-1.3	22:12:16	10°	W	22:15:20	49°	SSW	22:15:57	42°	SSE	visible
01 Feb	-2.2	21:10:43	10°	WNW	21:13:52	87°	SSW	21:17:03	10°	ESE	visible
01 Feb	0.3	22:48:06	10°	WSW	22:50:04	24°	SW	22:50:04	24°	SW	visible
02 Feb	-0.6	21:46:18	10°	W	21:49:14	34°	SSW	21:51:46	13°	SE	visible
02 Feb	1.5	23:23:50	10°	SW	23:23:52	10°	SW	23:23:52	10°	SW	visible
03 Feb	-1.3	20:44:33	10°	W	20:47:39	53°	SSW	20:50:46	10°	ESE	visible
03 Feb	-0.1	22:22:07	10°	WSW	22:24:46	24°	S	22:25:21	22°	SSE	visible
04 Feb	-0.2	21:20:17	10°	WSW	21:23:04	27°	S	21:25:51	10°	SE	visible
04 Feb	0.8	22:57:36	10°	SW	22:58:46	17°	SW	22:58:46	17°	SW	visible
05 Feb	0.0	21:55:56	10°	SW	21:58:34	23°	S	22:00:01	17°	SE	visible
06 Feb	0.0	20:54:06	10°	WSW	20:56:47	24°	S	20:59:27	10°	SE	visible
06 Feb	0.0	22:31:09	10°	SW	22:33:14	26°	SSW	22:33:14	26°	SSW	visible
07 Feb	-0.2	21:29:31	10°	SW	21:32:14	25°	S	21:34:20	13°	ESE	visible
07 Feb	1.3	23:06:07	10°	WSW	23:06:25	12°	WSW	23:06:25	12°	WSW	visible
08 Feb	-1.1	22:04:32	10°	SW	22:07:29	40°	SSE	22:07:29	40°	SSE	visible
09 Feb	-0.6	21:02:54	10°	SW	21:05:45	29°	SSE	21:08:32	10°	ESE	visible
09 Feb	0.5	22:39:29	10°	WSW	22:40:37	20°	WSW	22:40:37	20°	WSW	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
31 Jan	0.2	20:08:00	10°	W	20:10:39	24°	SSW	20:13:18	10°	SSE	visible
01 Feb	-1.0	19:06:05	10°	WNW	19:09:08	47°	SSW	19:12:11	10°	SE	visible
01 Feb	1.2	20:45:32	10°	SSW	20:46:21	11°	SSW	20:47:09	10°	S	visible
02 Feb	0.8	19:42:35	10°	WSW	19:44:38	16°	SSW	19:46:40	10°	SSE	visible
04 Feb	1.0	19:17:28	10°	SW	19:18:33	11°	SSW	19:19:36	10°	S	visible
09 Feb	0.7	20:37:28	10°	SSW	20:38:32	14°	S	20:38:32	14°	S	visible

Passes from Darwin (ACST)

none in this time frame

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
31 Jan	-0.3	21:09:33	10°	N	21:11:28	15°	NNE	21:13:23	10°	ENE	visible
31 Jan	-0.2	22:44:41	10°	WNW	22:45:58	21°	NW	22:45:58	21°	NW	visible
01 Feb	-1.4	21:43:31	10°	NW	21:46:25	33°	NNE	21:47:57	21°	ENE	visible
01 Feb	0.7	23:19:47	10°	W	23:20:04	12°	W	23:20:04	12°	W	visible
02 Feb	-2.2	22:18:23	10°	WNW	22:21:31	59°	N	22:21:46	56°	NE	visible
03 Feb	-1.8	21:17:02	10°	WNW	21:20:05	45°	NNE	21:23:08	10°	E	visible
03 Feb	-0.7	22:53:30	10°	W	22:55:21	31°	WNW	22:55:21	31°	WNW	visible
04 Feb	-2.2	21:52:01	10°	W	21:55:10	67°	N	21:56:41	27°	E	visible
04 Feb	1.0	23:28:41	10°	W	23:28:46	11°	W	23:28:46	11°	W	visible
05 Feb	-2.0	22:27:07	10°	W	22:30:01	58°	NW	22:30:01	58°	NW	visible
06 Feb	-2.1	21:25:32	10°	W	21:28:43	68°	N	21:31:10	15°	E	visible
06 Feb	0.3	23:02:17	10°	W	23:03:15	17°	WNW	23:03:15	17°	WNW	visible
07 Feb	-1.8	22:00:37	10°	W	22:03:43	50°	NNW	22:04:21	41°	NNE	visible
08 Feb	-2.0	20:58:57	10°	W	21:02:07	62°	N	21:05:15	10°	ENE	visible
08 Feb	-0.2	22:35:51	10°	W	22:37:29	21°	NW	22:37:29	21°	NW	visible
09 Feb	-1.3	21:34:01	10°	W	21:37:00	38°	NNW	21:38:32	22°	NE	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
31 Jan	-1.1	21:07:38	10°	NNW	21:10:21	27°	NNE	21:13:06	10°	E	visible
31 Jan	-0.9	22:43:48	10°	W	22:45:57	39°	W	22:45:57	39°	W	visible
01 Feb	-2.3	21:42:20	10°	WNW	21:45:29	81°	NNE	21:47:57	15°	ESE	visible
01 Feb	0.8	23:19:20	10°	WSW	23:20:04	15°	WSW	23:20:04	15°	WSW	visible
02 Feb	-1.3	22:17:43	10°	W	22:20:49	49°	S	22:21:46	34°	SE	visible
03 Feb	-1.8	21:16:06	10°	W	21:19:14	68°	SSW	21:22:25	10°	ESE	visible
03 Feb	-0.3	22:53:12	10°	WSW	22:55:21	32°	SW	22:55:21	32°	SW	visible
04 Feb	-1.0	21:51:32	10°	WSW	21:54:35	42°	S	21:56:41	17°	ESE	visible
04 Feb	1.2	23:28:28	10°	WSW	23:28:46	12°	WSW	23:28:46	12°	WSW	visible
05 Feb	-1.2	22:26:53	10°	WSW	22:29:56	43°	S	22:30:00	42°	S	visible
06 Feb	-1.0	21:25:13	10°	WSW	21:28:14	40°	S	21:31:10	11°	ESE	visible
06 Feb	0.4	23:02:01	10°	WSW	23:03:14	21°	WSW	23:03:14	21°	WSW	visible
07 Feb	-1.5	22:00:24	10°	WSW	22:03:31	51°	SSE	22:04:21	38°	ESE	visible
08 Feb	-1.1	20:58:43	10°	WSW	21:01:47	42°	S	21:04:49	10°	ESE	visible
08 Feb	-0.7	22:35:27	10°	WSW	22:37:29	36°	W	22:37:29	36°	W	visible
09 Feb	-2.0	21:33:46	10°	WSW	21:36:56	68°	SSE	21:38:32	26°	E	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
31 Jan	-0.2	21:14:30	10°	W	21:17:16	28°	SSW	21:18:06	24°	S	visible
01 Feb	-1.1	20:12:41	10°	W	20:15:43	46°	SSW	20:18:47	10°	SE	visible
01 Feb	1.0	21:50:50	10°	SW	21:52:12	15°	SSW	21:52:12	15°	SSW	visible
02 Feb	0.4	20:48:45	10°	WSW	20:51:13	20°	SSW	20:53:42	10°	SE	visible
03 Feb	-0.2	19:46:44	10°	W	19:49:33	29°	SSW	19:52:24	10°	SE	visible
03 Feb	0.7	21:25:01	10°	SW	21:26:54	15°	S	21:27:27	14°	S	visible
04 Feb	0.6	20:22:58	10°	SW	20:25:07	17°	S	20:27:16	10°	SSE	visible
04 Feb	1.4	22:00:33	10°	SSW	22:00:51	11°	SSW	22:00:51	11°	SSW	visible
05 Feb	0.6	20:58:55	10°	SW	21:00:47	14°	S	21:02:05	12°	SSE	visible
06 Feb	0.6	19:56:59	10°	SW	19:58:54	15°	S	20:00:49	10°	SSE	visible
06 Feb	0.7	21:34:00	10°	SW	21:35:19	16°	SSW	21:35:19	16°	SSW	visible
07 Feb	0.5	20:32:29	10°	SSW	20:34:30	16°	S	20:36:24	11°	SE	visible
08 Feb	-0.2	21:07:16	10°	SW	21:09:33	24°	S	21:09:33	24°	S	visible
09 Feb	0.1	20:05:46	10°	SW	20:08:06	18°	SSE	20:10:25	10°	ESE	visible
09 Feb	1.0	21:42:00	10°	WSW	21:42:41	15°	SW	21:42:41	15°	SW	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
31 Jan	-2.2	21:07:53	10°	WNW	21:11:02	89°	SSW	21:13:48	13°	ESE	visible
31 Jan	1.1	22:45:22	10°	WSW	22:45:57	13°	WSW	22:45:57	13°	WSW	visible
01 Feb	-0.4	21:43:32	10°	W	21:46:26	32°	SSW	21:47:57	21°	SSE	visible
02 Feb	-1.3	20:41:47	10°	W	20:44:53	51°	SSW	20:47:59	10°	SE	visible
02 Feb	0.4	22:19:31	10°	WSW	22:21:46	21°	SSW	22:21:46	21°	SSW	visible
03 Feb	0.0	21:17:38	10°	WSW	21:20:19	25°	SSW	21:23:01	10°	SE	visible
03 Feb	1.5	22:55:10	10°	SW	22:55:21	11°	SW	22:55:21	11°	SW	visible
04 Feb	0.2	21:53:29	10°	SW	21:55:54	20°	S	21:56:41	18°	SSE	visible
05 Feb	0.2	20:51:36	10°	WSW	20:54:07	21°	S	20:56:39	10°	SE	visible
05 Feb	0.8	22:28:48	10°	SW	22:30:01	17°	SSW	22:30:01	17°	SSW	visible
06 Feb	0.1	21:27:11	10°	SW	21:29:40	20°	S	21:31:10	15°	SE	visible
07 Feb	0.2	20:25:23	10°	SW	20:27:49	20°	S	20:30:15	10°	SE	visible
07 Feb	-0.1	22:02:14	10°	SW	22:04:21	26°	SSW	22:04:21	26°	SSW	visible
08 Feb	-0.2	21:00:39	10°	SW	21:03:17	23°	S	21:05:25	13°	ESE	visible
08 Feb	1.3	22:37:08	10°	WSW	22:37:29	13°	WSW	22:37:29	13°	WSW	visible
09 Feb	-1.3	21:35:31	10°	SW	21:38:32	43°	SSE	21:38:32	43°	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 Tiangong 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 Tiangong appearing due to orbit changes not picked up by the predictions. Use the most recent prediction for your site.

Labels: Satellite, tiangong, unaided eye

# posted by Ian Musgrave @ 7:31 am 0 comments