The new picture was taken from the cupola of the ISS, with city lights and light from distant stars equally visible. However, a good pair of field binoculars may reveal some detail of the structural shape of the spacecraft.Pesquet, a French astronaut, is on his second mission to the space station as part of the European Space Agency, and arrived as part of the SpaceX Crew-2 mission in April.ĭuring his time on the station he has become famed for his exceptional and breathtaking photography of the Earth below the space station. Because of the speed of an orbiting vehicle, telescopes are not practical. Credit: Richard Czentorycki (RSIS)/NASA.įor best results, observers should look in the direction and at the elevation shown in the appearing column at the time listed. Image above: Satellite sighting graphic shows how to locate a satellite during a viewing opportunity. This sighting opportunity is illustrated in the figure below: The sixth column gives the direction and elevation at which the spacecraft will disappear from view. The fifth column tells the direction and elevation at which the spacecraft will become visible initially. The fourth column gives the maximum elevation the vehicle will achieve above the horizon (90 degrees is directly overhead). The third column gives the duration, or the length of time in minutes the spacecraft is expected to be visible, assuming a clear sky. The next column is the local date and the local time. The text listing is in a column format, a sample of which is shown below:
You also can sign up to receive notices of opportunities in your email inbox or cell phone. NASA operates the “Spot The Station” service to provide sighting opportunities in a text listing by city. It is bright enough that it can even be seen from the middle of a city! Typically it will be the brightest object in the night sky (except for the Moon).
The space station looks like a fast-moving plane in the sky, but it will be seen as a steady – not blinking – white pinpoint of light. Depending on your location on the Earth's surface, a spacecraft's position in orbit and the time of day, you may be able to see the International Space Station (ISS) or visiting vehicles as they orbit about 240 statute miles above the planet.
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