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What satellite was that?



 
 
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  #1  
Old August 10th 12, 01:00 PM posted to uk.sci.astronomy
Dave[_22_]
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Posts: 2
Default What satellite was that?

I live in Preston, Lancashire, and at about 22.55 last night (Thursday
9th August) our next-door neighbour came knocking on our door and said,
"Look at that satellite up there!!". There was a very bright object
moving very quickly from west to east - anyone know what that
satellite would have been?

TIA


  #2  
Old August 10th 12, 01:23 PM posted to uk.sci.astronomy
Dave Liquorice[_2_]
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Posts: 29
Default What satellite was that?

On Fri, 10 Aug 2012 13:00:08 +0100, Dave wrote:

I live in Preston, Lancashire, and at about 22.55 last night (Thursday
9th August) our next-door neighbour came knocking on our door and said,
"Look at that satellite up there!!". There was a very bright object
moving very quickly from west to east - anyone know what that
satellite would have been?


Without looking it up probably the ISS as visible period was long enough
for your neigbour to knock on your door and you to get out to see it.

Yep, http://www.heavens-above.com gives the ISS visible from 22:52 to
22:56 from SW to ESE with magnitude -2.5. For a location nearly 100 miles
further north and a little bit more east.

Two passes tonight 21:59 and 23:35 timings will vary a bit with your
location.

--
Cheers
Dave.



  #3  
Old August 10th 12, 01:33 PM posted to uk.sci.astronomy
Martin Brown
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Posts: 1,707
Default What satellite was that?

On 10/08/2012 13:00, Dave wrote:
I live in Preston, Lancashire, and at about 22.55 last night (Thursday
9th August) our next-door neighbour came knocking on our door and said,
"Look at that satellite up there!!". There was a very bright object
moving very quickly from west to east - anyone know what that satellite
would have been?

TIA


Almost certainly the ISS - your timing is spot on BTW

http://heavens-above.com/PassSummary.aspx?satid=25544&lat=53.75956&lng=-2.705402&loc=Preston&alt=28&tz=GMT

It is presently visible in the evenings and at mag -3 as bright as
Jupiter so quite impressive in the early evening sky.

On odd days starting 7th Aug at 23:02
and
On even days starting 8th Aug at 22:09 and 23:45

getting 10 mins earlier with each successive apparition.
So tonight the 10th look for it at about 22:00 and/or 23:35

Tomorrow night at 22:42

Same site will also do predictions of Iridium flares for 7 days in
advance and satellites brighter than a given magnitude for date. A
really juicy Iridium flare nearby to your location can get to magnitude
-8 which is seriously bright but not for very long.

Regards,
Martin Brown
  #4  
Old August 10th 12, 01:34 PM posted to uk.sci.astronomy
David Briggs
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Posts: 4
Default What satellite was that?

In message
Dave wrote:

I live in Preston, Lancashire, and at about 22.55 last night (Thursday
9th August) our next-door neighbour came knocking on our door and said,
"Look at that satellite up there!!". There was a very bright object
moving very quickly from west to east - anyone know what that
satellite would have been?


TIA


Dave,

I saw it myself from our observatory site at Clanfield, Hampshire.
It was the International Space Station (ISS). A good place to
check for future passes is http://www.heavens-above.com/

If you set your latitude/longitude you can get it to give pass
times that are more appropriate for your location.


--
David Briggs
Skype ID: davidbriggs124
Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are (usually) unnecessary
  #5  
Old August 10th 12, 05:53 PM posted to uk.sci.astronomy
Dave[_22_]
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Posts: 2
Default What satellite was that?

David Briggs was thinking very hard :
In message
Dave wrote:

I live in Preston, Lancashire, and at about 22.55 last night (Thursday
9th August) our next-door neighbour came knocking on our door and said,
"Look at that satellite up there!!". There was a very bright object
moving very quickly from west to east - anyone know what that
satellite would have been?


TIA


Dave,

I saw it myself from our observatory site at Clanfield, Hampshire.
It was the International Space Station (ISS). A good place to
check for future passes is http://www.heavens-above.com/

If you set your latitude/longitude you can get it to give pass
times that are more appropriate for your location.


Wow, thanks guys, that's brilliant


 




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