NASA 'Spot The Station' Space Station Sighting Alerts FREE

[Archaic]

Hi Steadmund.

Same for me; I got a number of Space Station notices, but we've had such cloudy rainy weather I couldn't see anything.
Oh well, there will be lots more chances.

Some of the very best Space Station viewing is in fall or winter on a cold clear night.

Good luck,
Bunny

[Steadmund Brand]

Hi guys. I got an 'Spot the Station' email today. This is what it says:

Time: Tues Oct 21 6:59 PM, Visible: 5 min, Max Height: 46 degrees, Appears: WNW, Disappears, E.

Crossing my fingers that the clouds will clear away by evening, because the Space Station will be comparatively "low" in the sky and visible for a very long time - plus the Orionids Meteor Shower is occurring!

I saw a meteor flit by once while watching the Space Station approach, and that was pretty cool!

I'll let you know how it goes.

Best regards,
Archaic

I got one on Wed.. but it was not a nice night here.. too much cloud coverage and could not see anything .. can't wait till next time.

Steadmund Brand

[Carol]

I'm still bored

Oh dear, pinkmoon. What would really cheer you up?

[GUT]

N.A.S.A have just cancelled its proposed mission to send a probe to casebook to look for intelligent life.A spokesman is quoted as saying the prospect of the mission succeeding was just far to remote.

But if they send the mission to "Casebook" they'll find plenty of intelligent life.

[Archaic]

'Spot the Station' Message Today

Hi guys. I got an 'Spot the Station' email today. This is what it says:

Time: Tues Oct 21 6:59 PM, Visible: 5 min, Max Height: 46 degrees, Appears: WNW, Disappears, E.

Crossing my fingers that the clouds will clear away by evening, because the Space Station will be comparatively "low" in the sky and visible for a very long time - plus the Orionids Meteor Shower is occurring!

I saw a meteor flit by once while watching the Space Station approach, and that was pretty cool!

I'll let you know how it goes.

Best regards,
Archaic

[pinkmoon]

I'm still bored

[Carol]

N.A.S.A have just cancelled its proposed mission to send a probe to casebook to look for intelligent life.A spokesman is quoted as saying the prospect of the mission succeeding was just far to remote.

Glad to see you've cheered up a bit, pinkmoon!

[pinkmoon]

N.A.S.A have just cancelled its proposed mission to send a probe to casebook to look for intelligent life.A spokesman is quoted as saying the prospect of the mission succeeding was just far to remote.

[Carol]

Hi Bunny,

I'm very impressed! Looking forward to hearing more about your Dad when you have time.

Carol

[Archaic]

Top Secret

Hi Archaic,

I'm sure there are LOTS of us on here who would love to hear more about your Dad and his work on the Space Station. Of course, thinking about it, you might not be allowed to say anything more!

Yours hopefully,

Carol

Funny you should say that - in the late 1990s my Dad took my nephew on a cross-country trip, to visit old friends, Navy pals, fellow Aerospace engineers, National Parks, etc. When they were near Washignton DC my Dad decided to take his grandson to the National Air and Space Museum at the Smithsonian.

My Dad had a very high Security Clearance; he was an Senior Staff Aerospace Engineer and Program Manager for gigantic projects. Turns out the Smithsonian had an entire exhibition on a top-secret Space/Defense program that my father had worked on - but he didn't know it had ever been declassified! He had never even told my Mom!!

My Dad told me he stood there in shock with his mouth open - there were big displays, banners, etc, all describing the "classified" program, and here he was still keeping it secret!

I teased him about that for years, and he always laughed about it too. His big regret was that he didn't tell my Mother about the project, because he didn't know he could. I'm trying to recall what the name of the program was... aarrgh. He worked on so many, going back before the Apollos. I'll try to think of it.

When I get some free time a little later I'll explain what my worked on re: the International Space Station. His usual speciality was Rockets, but it had to do with the Solar Arrays, the enormous folding solar panels that power the Space Station.

Cheers,
Archaic

PS: When I was little, maybe 7 or 8, I remember my Dad got a new brown leather briefcase for his birthday. It had a combination lock on it, which impressed us kids.

I said, "Daddy, set the combination to 007!" and he laughingly did. I thought that was so cool! I took it seriously, and never told anybody the combination. I was ready to walk the plank before divulging it.

- Looking back, obviously my Dad didn't carry secure materials around in that briefcase!!

[Carol]

Hi Archaic,

I'm sure there are LOTS of us on here who would love to hear more about your Dad and his work on the Space Station. Of course, thinking about it, you might not be allowed to say anything more!

Yours hopefully,

Carol

[Archaic]

Hi Carol, Penhalion, and Steadmund.

When I renewed my yearly NASA sign-up the other day I happened to catch sight of the figure for the number of people signed up for Spot the Station - it's such a cool free service I expected it to be in the millions. It was some measly number like 310,000 and I was utterly shocked.

I think NASA needs to promote Spot The Station and get more people interested in real Science... for starters, every student of any age needs to experience it at least once. So I decided to post the Spot The Station web-page for everyone here, and maybe you can tell others.

It's funny so many people sit around the TV watching mind-numbing junk all evening,
when if you just go outside and LOOK UP you can participate something absolutely amazing!

The Station was just in my neck of the woods a couple of times this week at approximately 7:00 pm, but it's been very overcast. (Looks like our long hot beautiful Indian Summer is finally over, and the ''Seattle Rain Festival" is upon us.) Hoping I will get another chance next week.

Usually the Station will come around at a certain time one night, then the next night on same trajectory but maybe at different height & will appear a few minutes later, and that often happens for 3-4 nights in a row.

I'm not sure how the astronauts choose their course, but last year it always appeared from the WSW & disappeared ENE, and this go-round it's appearing from the WNW still heading ENE. They must be doing a different loop of the globe.

I'm eager to see where in the world the station will be visible next, and which of you will get to see it.

Anybody got a decent camera that can take night shots?

Best regards,
Archaic

[Steadmund Brand]

Thank you so much.. I just signed up as well.. look foward to my first sighting...


Steadmund Brand--

[Carol]

Hi Bunny,

I've just this minute signed in myself and showed your posts to Per-Åke. Thanks for sharing this with us.

Carol

[Penhalion]

I just signed up too.