Heads up for the ISS/shuttle Endeavour
 

In the Southern UK, there should be a good view of the ISS tonight, with the shuttle Endeavour chasing it along, to dock with it tomorrow. Last night's ISS transit was slightly spoiled by the cirrus that is still drifting around, but it was still plainly visible.

For those of us living just to the west of London, the ISS should appear, virtually out of the west, at 22:31 LOCAL and fly virtually right over the top. Endeavour should appear on the same track (of course) three minutes later. Cloud permitting, there should also be good views over the next few nights. Go on - it's the kid's holidays, let them stay up!

For other locations see: http://spaceflight.nasa.gov and look under 'Space Station' and then 'See the ISS in the Night Sky.'
:ok:

GALHI - such a news-worthy 'view' that I am popping you into R&N :eek: until the nice warm fluffy seniors decide to chuck you back to non-ATI (hopefully after 22:31A). Thank you for the heads-up. Mine will be:)

BOAC,
This fluffy senior in the South of France went out in the cold (not really, 20°+...) to see them pass, quite low on the northern horizon from here.

I've seen Sputnik 1.

And the magic has still not quite faded for the boy in me, even if manned spaceflight has become more and more a pointless exercise.

Christiaan J I hope you are talking about last night's pass, cos I'm hoping that G-ALHI and BOAC's excellent Heads Up gives me almost half an hour to finish me wild boar pie (no really) do some PPRuNeing and get outside the back door for a gander upwards.

Cheers folks, and hope we all see them.

AAh! Cinghiale - lovely. Not satisfied with Cinghiale now you are eating Goose:)

tredigraph,
There are two passes tonight.
If you're reading this now, drop everything, including the wild board pie, and go and look.
We'll talk later.

The 22:31 pass will be the best, because it's virtually a straight over the top job. The 00:06 one is going to be less than one minute and only 13 degrees elevation.

It's looking hopeful, I can see Arcturus in the western sky; they will be brighter and to the right of that.

Wild Boar - Sanglier (quois?) digesting, I'm rushing outside, but I have light pollution and severe tree curtailment to the west so hope I bloody well see them. Were it not for a few west country cidres earlier on this evening I'd hightail it on me bike up to the local common.. No geese there though...

Ooops, the witching hour beckons...

Just seen 'both parts' here in Lincs - I'm amazed at just how bright the ISS actually is. I know now that I saw it recently - did wonder what I was looking at!

wow , jealous as ****
good luck guys and gals

Absolutely cracking view - just as advertised with the Shuttle playing catch up about 3 minutes later.

Thanks for the "heads up".

A4

Fantastic heads up guys, saw both exactly as advertised! Sincerely hope you did too!

Excellent! Bang overhead Portsmouth, and the Space Station must have been two or three times as bright as Jupiter at its brightest! Lovely sight- had the neighbours out as well.

Bang over my bonce in Bucks!

Many ta's.

Brilliant!

<Thinks> Wonder if they Pproon up there?

FW

GAHLI - welcome back home (Well, next door).:) Thanks again for that - memorable. Also 4 other orbiters and I suspect 3 early Perseids (and a stiff neck). Well, what else do you expect.......................

Fokker - you never know:ok:

Thank you so much George, didn't expect to see anything here in Manchester, but saw both perfectly, as well as a couple of meteors (rock variety).

Truly memorable.

They damn well ought to, one gets the very best info here. G-ALHI, we owe you a few beers. Or cider if you prefer...

Many thanks for the information. I saw them too, just as I walked out my front door. Nice and clear in Essex with a little bit of cloud. The Space Shuttle appeared a little further north than the Space Station. I must have appeared a little mad standing in the street looking up at them. I was really surprised to see them over all the street lights in the area. Many thanks again.

According to Nasa the next England viewing will be 2119 tomorrow after the docking (0136 EDT), so it should be even brighter.

GAHLI - now look what you have done!

Very good view as they passed through the overhead. You could see the ISS's solar panels with the naked eye (which is why it's so bright).

Tomorrow night they'll be joined up; there's a long duration one at 21:18 - same part of sky - and a shorter one at 22:53.

Glad you all saw it! :)