Occultion of Jupiter by ISS tomorrow (East Coast US)

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2...issjupiter.htm

Jupiter and the Space Station

The International Space Station makes a series of bright passes over
the USA this week. On May 13th it will eclipse the planet Jupiter.





May 12, 2004: On May 13th, weather permitting, sky watchers up and
down the US east coast can see the International Space Station (ISS) glide
by the planet Jupiter. The ISS looks like a slow-moving meteor, as bright as
Jupiter itself. When the two converge ... it's going to be beautiful.

The encounter will be widely visible from Alabama, Georgia, parts of
North Carolina and Tennessee, Washington D.C., West Virginia, Pennsylvania,
and all the states of New England. Most people in those areas will see the
ISS pass mere degrees from Jupiter. A few observers are going to see the
station actually eclipse the giant planet.

The "path of totality," only about 80-meters wide, runs from Alabama
to Maine. Viewed from inside this narrow corridor, the space station will
pass right in front of Jupiter. It only takes a split-second for the ISS to
cross the planet, but during that instant, Jupiter's cloud belts and its
largest moons will wink in and out among the station's gangly solar arrays
and modules.

Space station transit expert Thomas Fly has prepared an ephemeris for
this encounter: Click to view a list of times, latitudes and longitudes
where the Jupiter-eclipse can be observed. If you want to get inside the
path of totality, try using a GPS receiver to guide you to the listed
coordinates.

No matter where you live in the eastern USA, the best time to look
will be shortly after 9:30 p.m. EDT (8:30 p.m. CDT) on Thursday, May 13th.
Step outside a few minutes early, and tilt your head straight up. Note:
lying flat on a blanket is more comfortable. The brightest "star" overhead
is Jupiter. The space station will approach Jupiter from the southwest. Be
patient; the encounter ould take place as late as 9:38 EDT, depending on
your exact location.

Although Jupiter and the space station will seem close together,
they're really far apart. Jupiter is 753 million km from Earth this week,
while the space station is in Earth orbit, only about 400 km above you.
These distances work out nicely. At a range of 400 km, the space station's
solar arrays span an angle (38 arcseconds) approximately equal to Jupiter's
diameter--just right for an eclipse.

Astronomers inside the path of totality can get a close-up view of the
eclipse simply by pointing their telescopes at Jupiter and waiting for the
space station to arrive. Typical backyard telescopes are large enough to
resolve the station's solar arrays. Because the split-second encounter
happens so fast, video recording is recommended. A digital video camera
suitably coupled to the telescope can capture many crisp images of the
station as it flits past Jupiter.

Even if you're not in the right place to see the eclipse, you can
still see the ISS, which is making many bright passes over the United States
this week. To find out exactly when to look, visit one of these three
popular web sites: Chris Peat's Heavens Above, Science@NASA's J-Pass or
NASA's SkyWatch. Each will ask for your zip code or city, and respond with a
list of suggested spotting times.

It's a lovely sight, the space station, gliding overhead among the
stars and planets. Bright. Silent. Inhabited. Don't miss it!