ISS and Discovery Visible

[macus23 24]

The space shuttle Discovery's launch has been delayed until this Thursday.  It is scheduled for an 11 day mission.  It will be the final mission for Discovery since the shuttle program is coming to an end.  It is an historic flight.

This means we will have an opportunity (here in Alabama) to see the shuttle docked to the International Space Station as it crosses the night sky for possibly 2 days towards the end of the mission. 

EDIT FOR CLARITY:You will not need to use a telescope or binoculars.  It will be visible with the naked eye.

These times could certainly change between now and then due to the shuttle giving the ISS an altitude boost to its orbit and delays in the launch and/or landing schedule.  Also keep in mind the website I get the info from may not be set for the time change this Sunday either.

As we get closer to these dates, I will update the data and post the flight paths.

Nov 12th       5:29pm to 5:31pm

Nov 13th       5:54pm to 5:57pm

I'll only be able to post the visible flight paths for my location here in Alabama, but you can certainly visit the website yourself and register your location.  That way, you'll be able to pull up the data for your own part of the world. 

http://www.heavens-above.com/

I would recommend registering anyway because it gives data for HUNDREDS of other satellites that you can go out and see EVERY night of the year.

I'll keep you posted.

[4AUsince62 10]

Cool. What's your location in Alabama?

[macus23 24]

I live in the Leeds/Moody area.

[4AUsince62 10]

Prattville/Millbrook area for me. I need to knock the dust off my telescope this winter and get the kids around it. Been too busy the last decade. It will take me a week to figure it out again. Dark skies near you? Mine are getting hard to find.

[macus23 24]

Prattville/Millbrook area for me. I need to knock the dust off my telescope this winter and get the kids around it. Been too busy the last decade. It will take me a week to figure it out again. Dark skies near you? Mine are getting hard to find.

No need to brush off that telescope to see this event my friend, you can see this with the naked eye.  However, go ahead and get it back out because the winter time is the best time to look through it because of the lower humidity.  You might need to get out of town a little ways to get away from the light pollution from street lights though.

Let me dig up an old thread and you can read how it went the last time I posted about it.

EDIT:  Here you go.  Some of the images of the flight plan are gone because they expired from the website.  It's from back in May.

http://www.auburneagle.com/WEAForum/index.php?topic=13331.0

[4AUsince62 10]

Prattville/Millbrook area for me. I need to knock the dust off my telescope this winter and get the kids around it. Been too busy the last decade. It will take me a week to figure it out again. Dark skies near you? Mine are getting hard to find.

No need to brush off that telescope to see this event my friend, you can see this with the naked eye.  However, go ahead and get it back out because the winter time is the best time to look through it because of the lower humidity.  You might need to get out of town a little ways to get away from the light pollution from street lights though.

Let me dig up an old thread and you can read how it went the last time I posted about it.

EDIT:  Here you go.  Some of the images of the flight plan are gone because they expired from the website.  It's from back in May.

http://www.auburneagle.com/WEAForum/index.php?topic=13331.0

I have a 10" Schmidt-Cassegrain, so I have to get way out of town. Wish I had a Dobsonian, probably some day. Like life, I seem to do thing bass ackwards.

[auwrx 0]

off subject but similar, a few years back cape caniveral(sp?)  had a night launch. i was in ocalla, fl at the time and even from there, it was the most amazing display of pure power i've ever seen. if i live to be 120, i'll never forget that.

[macus23 24]

I have a 10" Schmidt-Cassegrain, so I have to get way out of town. Wish I had a Dobsonian, probably some day. Like life, I seem to do thing bass ackwards.

I don't have either one but I want to buy a Dob pretty soon.  The Dobs are great because you can have a huge aperture, but they are a bit large and hard to get an equatorial mount. 

I bet that S-C you have is pretty nice too though! 

[4AUsince62 10]

I have a 10" Schmidt-Cassegrain, so I have to get way out of town. Wish I had a Dobsonian, probably some day. Like life, I seem to do thing bass ackwards.

I don't have either one but I want to buy a Dob pretty soon.  The Dobs are great because you can have a huge aperture, but they are a bit large and hard to get an equatorial mount. 

I bet that S-C you have is pretty nice too though! 

Just got home and looked at it. It's an 8". I know poor me. It's a Meade, LXD55 about 10 years old and very dusty. When I was a kid I loved astronomy. All sciences really, still do, just not much time for it now. My kids are bringing me back to it though. Dobs are great for the money and ease of use. I have flirted with the idea of making one. Not making my own mirrors though. I am going to put this on my calendar but help us old folks remember next week. Give it a bump. Thanks.

[macus23 24]

NASA has delayed the launch until at least Nov. 30th

[4AUsince62 10]

NASA has delayed the launch until at least Nov. 30th

Well flip. Thanks 23.

[4AUsince62 10]

Dang clouds, but that sucker was movin. Thanks Macus, I haven't look up at the nights sky in a long time.

[macus23 24]

Excellent!  Glad you got to see it.

Did you have a chance to visit that website I posted?  There are tons of other satellites to view and it will tell you where to look every night.

All you gotta do is register.

[4AUsince62 10]

Excellent!  Glad you got to see it.

Did you have a chance to visit that website I posted?  There are tons of other satellites to view and it will tell you where to look every night.

All you gotta do is register.

Yep, registered just before the game. This was perfect timing, my youngest son wants Santa to bring him a telescope for Christmas. Probably the Celestron FirstScope, small table top dob. Less than $50 and gets good reviews. gonna send you a PM.

[macus23 24]

Got your PM, sent one back.

[macus23 24]

Here is the ground track for the ISS tonight if anyone is interested. 

It will come over the horizon at about 6:17pm and go into the earths shadow at about 6:22PM. 

On this map the solid line shows is where the ISS is visible.  The dotted line is when its in Earth's shadow.

Enjoy!