ISS “incredibly bright” tonight

[mik]

Wow

Saw on twitter today a notice that the ISS would be “incredibly bright” tonight. One view at 22:06 but the cited rise point was just behind a tree from my vantage point, and it wasn’t even dark at 22:06.

Took it with a pinch of salt, but made a note of the time. Didn’t see anything rising vertically from the quoted WSW bearing, so went to head inside when I noticed what looked like feggin’ Venus tracking now South at about 15Deg above the horizon. It was indeed incredibly bright - never seen it like that.

Next view from the UK is as below - again it will be low in the sky, tracking v quickly across the horizon, but I’ll be going back outside to watch.....

Wed May 20, 11:41 PM
Appears 10° above W
Disappears 18° above E at 11:46 PM

[nuttinnew]

Thanks, I'd forgotten to check times after they were in the wee small hours a week or two back

[mik]

T minus 15

Copy.

[nuttinnew]

Copy. I've just read there's a supply craft following it that may be able to be seen. It's due to dock with the ISS on the 25th. It also said this second pass will be brighter than the earlier one!

[mik]

T minus 5 for everyone except nuttinew, who is quite clearly bingo bango on the bongos.

[RobYob]

Cool! An astronomical thing actually fucking visiblen for once

[Maurice]

Wow, you weren’t joking! That was great

[mik]

Feckin awesome

[Swervin_Mervin]

Didnt see schit wondering if the treeline around our area blocked it from view

[mik]

It was actually higher than the the 22:06 pass. I can only assume you looked North instead of South as it tracked past as it shone clearly through the trees here (?)

[mik]

Another option:

Date: Thu May 21, 10:53 PM
Visible: 6 min
Max Height: 85°
Appears: 10° above W
Disappears: 10° above E

It will track South as it goes E to W

[nuttinnew]

I don't think I'll ever get a better view of it than that, which is both awesome and depressing. Perfect weather, it came into view off of the back garden in the middle, straight down and over the house, disappearing off the middle of the end of the front If only I had something to record it with


Thanks again for posting, mik, I'd've missed it otherwise and the weather doesn't look so good for tomorrow.

[Swervin_Mervin]

Cheers mik. Reminder set.

I might have not read your first post properly about tracking south...

[Jimmy Choo]

[nuttinnew]

[Mito Man]

The ISS was intended to deorbit this year, I imagine it would have looked quite spectacular then but it has had its life extended again.

[McSwede]

I watched it whizz overhead last night. Really bright and moving quickly

[Zonda_]

I watched it whizz overhead last night. Really bright and moving quickly

Yep cloudy tonight though

[mik]

Yeah - slightly cloudy here too. Will pop out and take a look anyway - looks like this pass will be much higher in the sky than last night.

[mik]

T minus 10.

Over.