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Observing Satellites and Jets



 
 
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  #1  
Old August 21st 09, 10:08 PM posted to sci.astro.satellites.visual-observe
Von Fourche
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Posts: 19
Default Observing Satellites and Jets




Hi all! I'm new to observing satellites in the sky. I had a question -
when I see a light at night move in the sky and it does not blink, is that a
good chance it's a satellite? Do all passenger aircraft have lights that
blink? I saw something move across the sky last night while I was
attempting to find a satellite. I don't think I saw the satellite but I did
see a non blinking light move across the sky. Since it was not blinking I
was wondering if what I saw was a satellite.

Also, In the mid-west - Indiana. Will I be able to observe satellites
that are suppose to be viewable to me around 9:30pm? Something like the
Lacrosse satellite?

Thanks


  #2  
Old August 22nd 09, 04:14 AM posted to sci.astro.satellites.visual-observe
Patty Winter
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 38
Default Observing Satellites and Jets


In article ,
Von Fourche wrote:

Hi all! I'm new to observing satellites in the sky.


Welcome, Von! Are you hooked on the hobby yet? :-)

I had a question -
when I see a light at night move in the sky and it does not blink, is that a
good chance it's a satellite? Do all passenger aircraft have lights that
blink?


They do, but if the plane is up high enough and still has its
landing lights on, it will be bright but you won't be able to
see its other lights.

I saw something move across the sky last night while I was
attempting to find a satellite. I don't think I saw the satellite but I did
see a non blinking light move across the sky. Since it was not blinking I
was wondering if what I saw was a satellite.


Could have been a plane, or a satellite other than the one you were
looking for. They move differently; you should start noticing the
difference soon.


Also, In the mid-west - Indiana. Will I be able to observe satellites
that are suppose to be viewable to me around 9:30pm? Something like the
Lacrosse satellite?


I just checked tonight's predictions, and one of the Lacrosse
satellites should have been easily visible (magnitude 2.5) in
the Indianapolis area just after 9:00 p.m. tonight. Are you
using Heavens-Above to generate satellite pass information for
your exact area? Of course, which satellites you can see will
be limited by how bright the sky is in your area. I'm in a
suburban area, so conditions are pretty bad. :-(


Patty

  #3  
Old August 22nd 09, 05:17 AM posted to sci.astro.satellites.visual-observe
Von Fourche
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 19
Default Observing Satellites and Jets


"Patty Winter" wrote in message
...

In article ,
Von Fourche wrote:

Hi all! I'm new to observing satellites in the sky.


Welcome, Von! Are you hooked on the hobby yet? :-)



Yep. I went out tonight four times. Once I did not see anything. But
the three other times I spotting things in the air that did not blink, going
the general direction that showed on Heaven's Above, and appeared around the
time the were suppose to (give or take thirty seconds or so).

I could clearly tell that the jets had blinking lights. Also I can see
with binos dark outlines of the jets. But the three non-blinkers I have to
believe were satellites because - 1. They did not blink. 2. They were
heading in the general direction that showed on Heaven's Above. 3. They
appeared around the time they were suppose to appear.

Hmm, I thought finding satellites was extremely hard. Using Heaven's
Above and also a nice satellite application for my iTouch, it seems easy,
unless those three tings were jets and not satellites. lol.


  #4  
Old August 22nd 09, 06:50 AM posted to sci.astro.satellites.visual-observe
Patty Winter
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 38
Default Observing Satellites and Jets


In article ,
Von Fourche wrote:

Hmm, I thought finding satellites was extremely hard. Using Heaven's
Above and also a nice satellite application for my iTouch, it seems easy,
unless those three tings were jets and not satellites. lol.


:-) I'll bet they were really satellites!

If you want to get up early, ISS is making some predawn passes
over the U.S. these days. In fact, it's so bright now that some
people have been able to see it during the day, as you probably
saw mentioned on Heavens-Above.

Next, we get you hooked on Iridium flares. :-)


Patty
  #5  
Old August 22nd 09, 07:17 AM posted to sci.astro.satellites.visual-observe
Von Fourche
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 19
Default Observing Satellites and Jets


"Patty Winter" wrote in message
...

In article ,
Von Fourche wrote:

Hmm, I thought finding satellites was extremely hard. Using Heaven's
Above and also a nice satellite application for my iTouch, it seems easy,
unless those three tings were jets and not satellites. lol.


:-) I'll bet they were really satellites!

If you want to get up early, ISS is making some predawn passes
over the U.S. these days. In fact, it's so bright now that some
people have been able to see it during the day, as you probably
saw mentioned on Heavens-Above.



I stayed up all night Thursday night/Friday morning. I went out side
around 5:17am Friday morning and sure enough - I saw the ISS! It zoomed
across the northern sky really really fast.

Yep, I saw that article on Heavens-Above about seeing the ISS station
during the day. Are people really seeing it during the day?




  #6  
Old August 23rd 09, 09:34 AM posted to sci.astro.satellites.visual-observe
Dan Minge
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 6
Default Observing Satellites and Jets

On Sat, 22 Aug 2009 00:17:56 -0400, "Von Fourche"
wrote:


"Patty Winter" wrote in message
...

In article ,
Von Fourche wrote:

Hi all! I'm new to observing satellites in the sky.


Welcome, Von! Are you hooked on the hobby yet? :-)



Yep. I went out tonight four times. Once I did not see anything. But
the three other times I spotting things in the air that did not blink, going
the general direction that showed on Heaven's Above, and appeared around the
time the were suppose to (give or take thirty seconds or so).

I could clearly tell that the jets had blinking lights. Also I can see
with binos dark outlines of the jets. But the three non-blinkers I have to
believe were satellites because - 1. They did not blink. 2. They were
heading in the general direction that showed on Heaven's Above. 3. They
appeared around the time they were suppose to appear.

Hmm, I thought finding satellites was extremely hard. Using Heaven's
Above and also a nice satellite application for my iTouch, it seems easy,
unless those three tings were jets and not satellites. lol.



Heavens Above is great, but you can't go past Orbitron
which is free. Well, when I say free, it's actually 'cardware'
which means its author, Sebastan Stoff would like a post card
from you.

Go on. Download it and send him a postcard. He'll add you to his
postcard map. :-)

Minge

  #7  
Old August 23rd 09, 09:11 PM posted to sci.astro.satellites.visual-observe
Von Fourche
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 19
Default Observing Satellites and Jets


"Dan Minge" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 22 Aug 2009 00:17:56 -0400, "Von Fourche"
wrote:


"Patty Winter" wrote in message
.. .

In article ,
Von Fourche wrote:

Hi all! I'm new to observing satellites in the sky.

Welcome, Von! Are you hooked on the hobby yet? :-)



Yep. I went out tonight four times. Once I did not see anything. But
the three other times I spotting things in the air that did not blink,
going
the general direction that showed on Heaven's Above, and appeared around
the
time the were suppose to (give or take thirty seconds or so).

I could clearly tell that the jets had blinking lights. Also I can
see
with binos dark outlines of the jets. But the three non-blinkers I have
to
believe were satellites because - 1. They did not blink. 2. They were
heading in the general direction that showed on Heaven's Above. 3. They
appeared around the time they were suppose to appear.

Hmm, I thought finding satellites was extremely hard. Using Heaven's
Above and also a nice satellite application for my iTouch, it seems easy,
unless those three tings were jets and not satellites. lol.



Heavens Above is great, but you can't go past Orbitron
which is free. Well, when I say free, it's actually 'cardware'
which means its author, Sebastan Stoff would like a post card
from you.

Go on. Download it and send him a postcard. He'll add you to his
postcard map. :-)




I downloaded it but don't have time to play with it for a few day. I do
like Heavens-above maps of the constellations. That's how I've been able to
find the satellites - Little Dipper, Big Dipper, Cassiopeia, etc...




  #8  
Old August 24th 09, 08:55 PM posted to sci.astro.satellites.visual-observe
Von Fourche
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 19
Default Observing Satellites and Jets


"Dan Minge" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 22 Aug 2009 00:17:56 -0400, "Von Fourche"
wrote:


"Patty Winter" wrote in message
.. .

In article ,
Von Fourche wrote:

Hi all! I'm new to observing satellites in the sky.

Welcome, Von! Are you hooked on the hobby yet? :-)



Yep. I went out tonight four times. Once I did not see anything. But
the three other times I spotting things in the air that did not blink,
going
the general direction that showed on Heaven's Above, and appeared around
the
time the were suppose to (give or take thirty seconds or so).

I could clearly tell that the jets had blinking lights. Also I can
see
with binos dark outlines of the jets. But the three non-blinkers I have
to
believe were satellites because - 1. They did not blink. 2. They were
heading in the general direction that showed on Heaven's Above. 3. They
appeared around the time they were suppose to appear.

Hmm, I thought finding satellites was extremely hard. Using Heaven's
Above and also a nice satellite application for my iTouch, it seems easy,
unless those three tings were jets and not satellites. lol.



Heavens Above is great, but you can't go past Orbitron
which is free. Well, when I say free, it's actually 'cardware'
which means its author, Sebastan Stoff would like a post card
from you.

Go on. Download it and send him a postcard. He'll add you to his
postcard map. :-)



How do I get it to give me future sighting of the ISS? I can get other
satellites but not the ISS for some reason. I really can't explore it till
later this week.







  #9  
Old August 25th 09, 08:07 AM posted to sci.astro.satellites.visual-observe
Dan Minge
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 6
Default Observing Satellites and Jets

On Mon, 24 Aug 2009 15:55:49 -0400, "Von Fourche"
wrote:


"Dan Minge" wrote in message
.. .
On Sat, 22 Aug 2009 00:17:56 -0400, "Von Fourche"
wrote:


"Patty Winter" wrote in message
. ..

In article ,
Von Fourche wrote:

Hi all! I'm new to observing satellites in the sky.

Welcome, Von! Are you hooked on the hobby yet? :-)


Yep. I went out tonight four times. Once I did not see anything. But
the three other times I spotting things in the air that did not blink,
going
the general direction that showed on Heaven's Above, and appeared around
the
time the were suppose to (give or take thirty seconds or so).

I could clearly tell that the jets had blinking lights. Also I can
see
with binos dark outlines of the jets. But the three non-blinkers I have
to
believe were satellites because - 1. They did not blink. 2. They were
heading in the general direction that showed on Heaven's Above. 3. They
appeared around the time they were suppose to appear.

Hmm, I thought finding satellites was extremely hard. Using Heaven's
Above and also a nice satellite application for my iTouch, it seems easy,
unless those three tings were jets and not satellites. lol.



Heavens Above is great, but you can't go past Orbitron
which is free. Well, when I say free, it's actually 'cardware'
which means its author, Sebastan Stoff would like a post card
from you.

Go on. Download it and send him a postcard. He'll add you to his
postcard map. :-)



How do I get it to give me future sighting of the ISS? I can get other
satellites but not the ISS for some reason. I really can't explore it till
later this week.


Easy. There's an excellent prediction mode you can go into. It will
display the times ISS or any other satellite you choose is overhead.
Couldn't do without it.

Orbitron is undoubtedly the best free tracker on the market.

Minge
  #10  
Old August 25th 09, 11:56 AM posted to sci.astro.satellites.visual-observe
Von Fourche
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 19
Default Observing Satellites and Jets


"Dan Minge" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 24 Aug 2009 15:55:49 -0400, "Von Fourche"
wrote:


"Dan Minge" wrote in message
. ..
On Sat, 22 Aug 2009 00:17:56 -0400, "Von Fourche"
wrote:


"Patty Winter" wrote in message
.. .

In article ,
Von Fourche wrote:

Hi all! I'm new to observing satellites in the sky.

Welcome, Von! Are you hooked on the hobby yet? :-)


Yep. I went out tonight four times. Once I did not see anything.
But
the three other times I spotting things in the air that did not blink,
going
the general direction that showed on Heaven's Above, and appeared around
the
time the were suppose to (give or take thirty seconds or so).

I could clearly tell that the jets had blinking lights. Also I can
see
with binos dark outlines of the jets. But the three non-blinkers I have
to
believe were satellites because - 1. They did not blink. 2. They were
heading in the general direction that showed on Heaven's Above. 3. They
appeared around the time they were suppose to appear.

Hmm, I thought finding satellites was extremely hard. Using Heaven's
Above and also a nice satellite application for my iTouch, it seems
easy,
unless those three tings were jets and not satellites. lol.


Heavens Above is great, but you can't go past Orbitron
which is free. Well, when I say free, it's actually 'cardware'
which means its author, Sebastan Stoff would like a post card
from you.

Go on. Download it and send him a postcard. He'll add you to his
postcard map. :-)



How do I get it to give me future sighting of the ISS? I can get other
satellites but not the ISS for some reason. I really can't explore it
till
later this week.


Easy. There's an excellent prediction mode you can go into. It will
display the times ISS or any other satellite you choose is overhead.
Couldn't do without it.




Hmm, I can get predictions for there satellites but not the ISS. I must
be doing something wrong.




 




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