[ED-TECH] Shuttle & ISS sighting opportunity Thursday @ 8:30 pm

Ed-Tech list members,

The international space station, with the shuttle attached, will be visible from Miami on Thursday, May 20, starting at 8:30 pm for about four minutes. It will start in the north-northwest part of the sky, about 27 degrees above the horizon. It will climb to 74 degrees above the horizon (90 degrees is straight up) as it travels toward the southeast. It will appear as a very bright planet, moving fairly rapidly through the night sky. I have only observed it with the naked eye. I don't know if binoculars would help. A telescope would probably have trouble staying with it, because of it's speed. I will take our dogs out to open area and look for it. I hope it is clear out.

Progress, a supply ship for the ISS, will be visible from Miami about 11 minutes earlier. It won't rise as high, but it will follow about the same path. Might as well go early and see if you can see it, too!

I can still remember going outside in the fall of 1957 and watching Sputnik go overhead. How far we have come.


SATELLITE

LOCAL

DURATION

MAX ELEV

APPROACH

DEPARTURE


DATE/TIME

(MIN)

(DEG)

(DEG-DIR)

(DEG-DIR)







ISS & SHUTTLE
Thu May 20/08:30 PM
4

74
27 above NNW 15 above SE







PROGRESS
Thu May 20/08:19 PM
4

49
17 above NNW 16 above ESE

Bill Vilberg - bill.vilberg@miami.edu<mailto:bill.vilberg@miami.edu>, 786-250-2255