International Space Station visible tonight?

[Bert365]

Nope

Sat outside for a good 10 minutes and nothing.
Checked Heavens-Above and found out it was over my way at 19:22

Tomorrow...18:13 ALT 10 W at a magnitude of 2.7.
Apparently.

And an Iridium flare at 20:02.

where should we be looking fir the iridium flare tonight cheers

 

[Eggmundo]

Go to Heavens-Above Home Page, register and input your location. Excellent site, gives detailed real time star charts and satellite passes etc.

 

[Marc]

it might get clear tonight for a final viewing of the ISS if we're lucky

 

[Bold Seagull]

it might get clear tonight for a final viewing of the ISS if we're lucky

Going to give it a go tonight. Did you get those shots handheld? What sort of settings? Would mind trying to capture some astro shots later.

 

[Easy 10]

I looked last night at 6.17 but couldn't see it at all. It was too light I think.

 

[Marc]

Going to give it a go tonight. Did you get those shots handheld? What sort of settings? Would mind trying to capture some astro shots later.

I'm a complete novice when it comes to this and was trying random settings on my camera until I found one that worked! You need a long exposure 15 to 30seconds appears to be best, my camera does about 4seconds and I cant figure out how to extend it

Watch this segment from the Stargazing BBC show as the bloke details what you need perfectly:
BBC - BBC Two Programmes - Stargazing LIVE, Space Photography Guide

 

[Bold Seagull]

I'm a complete novice when it comes to this and was trying random settings on my camera until I found one that worked! You need a long exposure 15 to 30seconds appears to be best, my camera does about 4seconds and I cant figure out how to extend it

Watch this segment from the Stargazing BBC show as the bloke details what you need perfectly:
BBC - BBC Two Programmes - Stargazing LIVE, Space Photography Guide

Thanks for the link. I've got 30" on mine and a tripod so going to give it a go. Thought yours looked pretty good!

 

[Marc]

Thanks for the link. I've got 30" on mine and a tripod so going to give it a go. Thought yours looked pretty good!

cheers mate, I got lucky I think! might borrow my old mans tripod for the next time and will try and figure my camera out, think I had the ISO setting wrong the other night.

 

[Marc]

did some digging and found a proper easy to understand manual online, turns out my max is 15seconds which is just about alright, need a clear night now!

 

[Bold Seagull]

Go to Heavens-Above Home Page, register and input your location. Excellent site, gives detailed real time star charts and satellite passes etc.

Agreed, just registered!

 

[Bold Seagull]

Clouds showing signs of clearing, fingers crossed for tonight...

 

[Marc]

use this as a guide:
Met Office: British Isles: Visible satellite imagery

 

[Marc]

tonights viewing is at 6:41pm:
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/cities/view.cgi?country=United_Kingdom&region=England&city=Brighton

strangely it says the Shuttle is viewable tonight......but she landed earlier!

 

[Bert365]

did anyone catch it tonight I missed it

 

[Marc]

Could'nt see the ISS so just took these two to check the new settings, seeing as its dusk and some high level cloud around these have already come out better than my monday night efforts....cant wait for total darkness later!

 

[Bold Seagull]

I couldn't see it either, but like Marc I had a play with the camera, think the wind was slightly blowing on the tripod though (which isn't the sturdiest!)...Marc, lovely shot with the eaves sticking out!

 

[Marc]

lucky shot that but thanks! Theres too much light pollution in my backyard aswell which does'nt help, also the bloke in that Stargazing Video says ISO of 800 but i've read elsewhere a lower ISO is better, I used 200 for those above shots.
Reckon its gonna be clearest (cloud wise) in an hour so I'm gonna go back up the downs away from the lights and play some more, need fresh batteries though my camera eats them!

 

[Eggmundo]

Big one last night but a better one tonight:
Event Time Altitude Azimuth Distance (km)
Rises above horizon 21:47:39 0° 261° (W ) 2,146
Reaches 10° altitude 21:49:39 10° 262° (W ) 1,309
Maximum altitude 21:52:34 82° 352° (N ) 355
Enters shadow 21:54:03 26° 77° (ENE) 731

Pretty much dead overhead and there should be secondary trail of a cargo pod that was ejected this afternoon.

 

[lost in london]

Big one last night but a better one tonight:
Event Time Altitude Azimuth Distance (km)
Rises above horizon 21:47:39 0° 261° (W ) 2,146
Reaches 10° altitude 21:49:39 10° 262° (W ) 1,309
Maximum altitude 21:52:34 82° 352° (N ) 355
Enters shadow 21:54:03 26° 77° (ENE) 731

Pretty much dead overhead and there should be secondary trail of a cargo pod that was ejected this afternoon.

Thanks for the tip, never seen that before and found it pretty incredible. Was the brighter light following it the cargo?

 

[skipper734]

Went into the field behind the house, away from peoples garden lights. Best yet really bright, plus a meteor or maybe the cargo pod fell out of the sky in a trail of sparks.
Any one with a physics degree tell me why it appears to wobble in it's track as it goes across, or is it me.