See the International Space Station

[johnnYYac]

Hey party people!  Time to don my science teacher hat and put a bug in yer ear about a cool night-time activity.

Go to the link below, choose your state, then the city nearest you, to determine when you can catch the International Space Station moving across the night sky.

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/cities/skywatch.cgi?country=United+States

If you're not in the US, go to this site and choose your country.

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/index.html

The ISS is the third brightest object in the sky, after the Sun and Moon.  Look for dates with clear skies, long duration, and high degrees of elevation (especially if you have a lot of trees around you).  As you watch the ISS travel across the sky, appreciate the fact that you are witnessing a man-made object almost 200 miles up, travelling at over 17,000 miles per hour.  On board, 6 human beings from different countries spending months in zero gravity conducting experiments to help us prepare for a mission to Mars.  It is made visible by sunlight reflecting off of a number of solar panels the size of soccer fields (see photo below).

Don't miss this experience.  This is the time of year when ISS sightings are in early- to mid-evening.

[Jaimoe]

Well, I hope it's bright. Downtown Toronto has brutal light pollution and most stars and planets aren't visible at the best of times.

[Sticky Icky Green Stuff]

that's pretty sweet yac, thanks for posting that up on hur.

[johnnYYac]

Well, I hope it's bright. Downtown Toronto has brutal light pollution and most stars and planets aren't visible at the best of times.

It'll be pretty bright and you can set your watch to it.  This one might be your best bet for a while.

Toronto: Mon, Aug 30, 08:39 PM, 2 min. duration, 34 degrees max elevation, rising 32 degrees above NW horizon, setting 16 degrees above NE horizon.

[woodnymph]

Woo very nice! I must check it out!! How fun it must be to be a science teacher!! Science was my favorite class all through school  8-)

[BigBossMan]

thanks for the heads up, pretty cool stuff

[iLikeBeer]

Well, I hope it's bright. Downtown Toronto has brutal light pollution and most stars and planets aren't visible at the best of times.

It'll be pretty bright and you can set your watch to it.  This one might be your best bet for a while.

Toronto: Mon, Aug 30, 08:39 PM, 2 min. duration, 34 degrees max elevation, rising 32 degrees above NW horizon, setting 16 degrees above NE horizon.

Just flew over us here in Wooster.  Pretty cool shit!  Just like the website said, 8:39 there it was flying overhead!

I wonder how many UFO sightings will be reported tonight?   :P

[Bigsky]

John, your a nerd like me!   This is pretty cool, I'm going to take a look tonight...maybe I can get my 3 year old to stay up late to see it.

[el_chode]

I don't know if any of you follow the Bad Astronomy blog over at Discover.com but Phil Plaitt (the Bad Astronomer) will often post pics average Joes like ourselves take of the ISS. It's really cool to see what some people do with a $20 telescope or pair of binoculars.

[Bigsky]

That was pretty cool...just saw it with my little girl...that thing was haulin'

[johnnYYac]

That was pretty cool...just saw it with my little girl...that thing was haulin'

It is very cool.

I made a pact with myself that, if I ever step outside on a clear night, I cannot come back in to the house until I see at least one satellite.  We've got a lot of shit circling our planet.

I rarely wait more that 5 minutes to catch one.  There's another part of the NASA website that gives you a 3-dimensional map of Earth will satellites and you can use that to time a sighting.  Much more faint than the ISS but still fun to "catch 'em".

[Sticky Icky Green Stuff]

I'm going to try and shoot it with my gun tonight.

[Sticky Icky Green Stuff]

That was pretty cool...just saw it with my little girl...that thing was haulin'

It is very cool.

I made a pact with myself that, if I ever step outside on a clear night, I cannot come back in to the house until I see at least one satellite.  We've got a lot of shit circling our planet.

I rarely wait more that 5 minutes to catch one.  There's another part of the NASA website that gives you a 3-dimensional map of Earth will satellites and you can use that to time a sighting.  Much more faint than the ISS but still fun to "catch 'em".

Why aren't you orbiting the earth yac? you should do what sam rockwells character did in moon. I can't tell you what that is if you haven't seen it because it would spoil it.  

[TheBigChicken]

I'm going to try and shoot it with my gun tonight.

be sure to lead it a little : YYac, I looked on the site when you first posted and couldn't see anything for Tampa. Does it change ? :-/

[johnnYYac]

That was pretty cool...just saw it with my little girl...that thing was haulin'

It is very cool.

I made a pact with myself that, if I ever step outside on a clear night, I cannot come back in to the house until I see at least one satellite.  We've got a lot of shit circling our planet.

I rarely wait more that 5 minutes to catch one.  There's another part of the NASA website that gives you a 3-dimensional map of Earth will satellites and you can use that to time a sighting.  Much more faint than the ISS but still fun to "catch 'em".

Why aren't you orbiting the earth yac? you should do what sam rockwells character did in moon. I can't tell you what that is if you haven't seen it because it would spoil it.  

Appreciate it, Sticky.  Moon is on my short list of movies to see.

[johnnYYac]

I'm going to try and shoot it with my gun tonight.

be sure to lead it a little : YYac, I looked on the site when you first posted and couldn't see anything for Tampa. Does it change ? :-/

Viewing opportunities vary for folks, so when its good in NH, you guys might get shortchanged.  I give my students dates, times, durations, directions, and maximum angles of elevation only to find they are a bit different for me at home, 45 minutes away.  

NH has a great shot at the ISS tonight around 8:30 and on Saturday around 7:45 pm.  Tampa might have to wait  for good viewing opportunities.  I'll look into it.

EDIT: It looks like your best bet for the Tampa area is:

Tue Sep 14  09:07 PM
Duration: 1 min (this is a quick one)
Max. elevation: 52 degrees
Rises: 20 degrees above NW
Sets: 52 degrees above W

This means it will rise high and fall fast, in an arc.  Figure out where North is, then look a bit to your left.  It will come up and to the left before setting where the Sun sets.

Most importantly... pray for clear skies!  Good luck.

[Sticky Icky Green Stuff]

That was pretty cool...just saw it with my little girl...that thing was haulin'

It is very cool.

I made a pact with myself that, if I ever step outside on a clear night, I cannot come back in to the house until I see at least one satellite.  We've got a lot of shit circling our planet.

I rarely wait more that 5 minutes to catch one.  There's another part of the NASA website that gives you a 3-dimensional map of Earth will satellites and you can use that to time a sighting.  Much more faint than the ISS but still fun to "catch 'em".

Why aren't you orbiting the earth yac? you should do what sam rockwells character did in moon. I can't tell you what that is if you haven't seen it because it would spoil it.  

Appreciate it, Sticky.  Moon is on my short list of movies to see.

moon is pretty solid.  way too many people over hyped it if you ask me tho.  I figured the mystery out within the first 45minutes but it's still pretty cool.  Sam Rockwell is a good actor who is constantly cast in completely mediocre movies.  Moon was one of his better ones.  Kevin Spacey plays a mean Hal 9000.

[woodnymph]

Way to bring it all circuital, JY!   

[davymac]

Thanks for sharing I have caught it the last 2 nights!

[johnnYYac]

Perhaps its time to see what they see from up there...

Earth -Time Lapse View from Space/Fly Over -Nasa, ISS (vid by Michael König @ koenigm.com)