Night Sky
From my vantage point on the globe there is an incredibly bright object that is visible as soon as the sun is below the horizon. (Brightest thing in the sky) It's in the western sky sitting about 30 deg above the horizon at dusk. I don't have a telescope or binoculars but to the naked eye it seems brilliant white with no hint of colour. That makes me think it might be a fixed orbit satellite. A couple of internet searches haven't turned up anything. Any ideas?
I was outside a while ago and saw the first shooting star I've seen in ages. Made a wish but can't tell you what it was else it won't come true.
I was outside a while ago and saw the first shooting star I've seen in ages. Made a wish but can't tell you what it was else it won't come true.
posted by Norm at 5/14/2007 01:49:00 AM
2 Comments:
Maybe the ISS? Sky & Telescope used to include that in their "Sky At a Glance," but it looks like they don't anymore.
Found this bit:
"The ISS occupies an orbit that's inclined, or tipped, about 52° with respect to Earth's equator. In other words, it flies over everything between latitudes 52° north and south, making it visible to most of our world's inhabitants. And because it's so big, the Space Station can appear very bright, outshining all the stars and even rivaling brilliant Jupiter or Venus.
But don’t count on spotting the Space Station the very next time you go looking. To catch sight of it, the ISS must be in the right place (somewhere above your horizon) at the right time (the hours just after sunset or before sunrise). Moreover, because of the perturbing effects of Earth’s gravity, most satellites go through cyclical “spells of visibility,” during which they’ll be observable in the evening sky for a time, then before sunrise, and then not at all. The ISS goes through its cycle in about two months. "
Incredible! Sounds like you've found it - thanks for passing on the info. It all fits. There doesn't seem to be much movement to it but later on through the night it is no longer visible.
I know we're in for some overcast and rainy weather; you aren't too far south. Let's see what we can see through the next couple of nights - okay? At dusk, western sky, 30-40 degrees. Check.
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