International Space Station

This post may not be interesting for most, but it is something that goes on above our heads all the time, so give it a chance, you might enjoy this. And sorry for those not living in Utah near 40.3920 latitude, -111.8500 longitude, altitude 1390 meters, but if you are in close proximity to Lehi, Utah you are in luck. There is going to be a visible pass of the International Space Station with a magnitude -2.3 (yes this is very bright, relatively) on the morning of October 23rd at 07:27:29 (7:27 am). I wanted to give adequate warning so you could make plans to view this event. This may not sound very interesting, but it is very fascinating to view such an event. The International Space Station makes 15.77 orbits around Earth in one day. Depending on the suns angle, height of the space station, time of day, and location of the space station and location on Earth, it can become highly visible. So, if you are not on this general area at this exact time and location, don't worry the space station is visible at any location. But, do not forget, the space station moves with exactness just like any other celestial sphere. It moves with perfect time as the planets and stars do. So make sure your watch is set to the accuracy of an atomic clock. An atomic clock is accurate to 10 to the 9th seconds per day. To set your time accurately see http://www.time.gov/ and select your time zone.

This pass of the space station is going to be a very bright pass in terms of magnitude. Magnitude is the measure of the brightness of a celestial object. The lower the value, the brighter the object. The sun has a magnitude of -26.7, full moon -12.7, and Venus at brightest -4.4. I will not bore you with any further details, but I hope you get the idea that this is going to be a highly visible pass. If you are interested in viewing this event you will need to be very punctual, because as stated earlier the space station moves as celestial object and they were set by our Heavenly Fathers laws and they have to obey them. On the morning of Thursday, October 23rd you will need to look to west, southwest at 07:25:29 and begin the watch the horizon for this is when the space station will pass over the horizon. Those of this in this area will not see this until later because of some strange masses of dirt/rock named mountains. Continue to scan the sky looking for an object that resembles a bright star moving in an exact straight line. At 07:27:29 the space station will be at 10 degrees in the sky, location west, southwest (The horizon is 0 degrees and straight above your head is 90 degrees). At 07:30:18 the space station will be at maximum altitude at 66 degrees at a location roughly northwest. At 07:33:22 the space station will drop below 10 degrees at a location roughly northeast. Basically what you will want to do is look to the west, southwest at 7:25 am and look in this area for what looks like a star moving in a straight line from the west, southwest to the northeast. !!!!!!!!!WARNING!!!!!!! Remember to be very punctual.

If you do not view this pass there will be many more to enjoy (If you want just ask me for information on how and when to view these events in your location). This one is just going to be relatively bright. My favorite passes are the ones when the space shuttle are near docking or have just released and are in close proximity to the station. These are interesting because you view two objects moving across the sky in concert with one another. And you are in luck. Th e next Shuttle mission will be STS-126 to the International Space Station. Launch is scheduled for November 14th.

As I view these passes I like to remember that you are watching a man-made object with humans aboard flying around our Earth with only gravity moving them, nor form of propulsion. The only thing better than watching them pass overhead would be to see the view from their vantage point in space, watching the beautiful creation of Earth pass below. Enjoy!