The International space station

Collarspace Discussion Forums

Home Login Search

The International space station

View related threads: (in this forum | in all forums)

Logged in as: Guest

All Forums >> [Casual Banter] >> Off the Grid >> The International space station

Page: [1]

Message

<< Older Topic Newer Topic >>

The International space station - 7/16/2009 7:16:06 AM

Aneirin

Posts: 6121
Joined: 3/18/2006
From: Tamaris
Status: offline

Last night, I believe we saw the international space station zipping overhead. I was down the pub, and one of the astronomers there had the calcs for when it would be over us. So we all stood out in the beer garden waiting, (it was also an excuse to hang around after time too). Well,according to this chaps calcs, got from NASA, the ISS should come over at 23:40. But, at 23:30 something came over, and it was the brightest thing in the sky, and it was shifting, far faster than an aircraft. This object had something trailing it, smaller, and not as bright, but it had an orange type tinge to it. We thought maybe the calcs were wrong, and the ISS was coming earlier than was supposed, until someone mentioned the shuttle was up there, and that might be it, chasing a satellite. Well, ten minutes later we nearly gave up looking, believing the earlier thing was the ISS and the times were wrong, but bang on the time, over came another bright thing moving fast, it was in a different section of the sky, but moving in the same direction, but not quite as fast as the earlier objects, it was bigger though. The objects in the sky were moving roughly west to east, a few degrees either side, but roughly that direction.

Can anyone suggest what were the two earlier objects, could it be likely or was it the Shuttle chasing a satellite ?

And no, I won't think UFO in the little green men sense, but until identified, it is an unidentified flying object or objects. In fact, anything flying in the sky is a UFO until the point it is identified.

And just to add, has anyone else looked for the ISS as it has come over ?

< Message edited by Aneirin -- 7/16/2009 7:19:14 AM >

_____________________________

Everything we are is the result of what we have thought, the mind is everything, what we think, we become - Guatama Buddha

Conservatism is distrust of people tempered by fear - William Gladstone

Profile

Post #: 1

RE: The International space station - 7/16/2009 8:22:38 AM

thishereboi

Posts: 14463
Joined: 6/19/2008
Status: offline

I could be wrong, but I think we just sent the shuttle up again. I would look into it, but I have been putting off the yard work too long as it is.

_____________________________

"Sweetie, you're wasting your gum" .. Albert

This here is the boi formerly known as orfunboi

(in reply to Aneirin)

Profile

Post #: 2

RE: The International space station - 7/16/2009 8:31:49 AM

GreedyTop

Posts: 52100
Joined: 5/2/2007
From: Savannah, GA
Status: offline

Endeavour got off the ground last night at 6:03pm Eastern time.

to track / spot the ISS: Click here

_____________________________

polysnortatious
Supreme Goddess of Snark
CHARTER MEMBER: Lance's Fag Hags!
Waiting for my madman in a Blue Box.

(in reply to thishereboi)

Profile

Post #: 3

RE: The International space station - 7/16/2009 12:27:44 PM

Tals

Posts: 19
Joined: 4/12/2008
Status: offline

Could have been a Russian Rocket. Don't they have a Soyuz or two up there at the moment?

(in reply to Aneirin)

Profile

Post #: 4

RE: The International space station - 7/16/2009 12:33:02 PM

ThatDamnedPanda

Posts: 6060
Joined: 1/26/2009
Status: offline

That's fascinating. You're in the UK, so given the time frame, you probably caught the shuttle just as it was climbing into orbit. I'm guessing the smaller object that was trailing it was the external fuel tank, just a few minutes after it was jettisoned and before it started falling back to Earth. If that's what you saw, I envy you. That's got to be a pretty rare sight.

I believe the shuttle and the ISS are mating in a couple of hours. Here's an excellent site for tracking them, and any other visible satellite as well. It's kinda cool seeing the shuttle "chase" and close with the ISS, if you can time it right. I've seen it a couple of times, and it's always a treat.

http://www.heavens-above.com/

_____________________________

Panda, panda, burning bright
In the forest of the night
What immortal hand or eye
Made you all black and white and roly-poly like that?

(in reply to GreedyTop)

Profile

Post #: 5

RE: The International space station - 7/16/2009 4:52:39 PM

Aneirin

Posts: 6121
Joined: 3/18/2006
From: Tamaris
Status: offline

Yeah, I got told tonight by the person who had the calcs that the orangey thing following was the fuel tank after being jettisoned. I queried what we saw from the wesite link GT posted and said to the chap, the thing we saw first was the shuttle given the times on the website, He also investigated the sighting and confirmed it was the fuel tank following behind before it's fall to earth.

As to what else is happening up there tonight, we don't know, as , as usual it was heavy and low cloud, so low my pal's 100mw laser found the height. Bad weather coming in, us in the South West get it first every time.

The night of the sighting of the things in the sky, it was unusually clear, so much so, the pinwheel galaxy was just, ever so just by a faint glow visible to the naked eye.

< Message edited by Aneirin -- 7/16/2009 5:06:06 PM >

_____________________________

Everything we are is the result of what we have thought, the mind is everything, what we think, we become - Guatama Buddha

Conservatism is distrust of people tempered by fear - William Gladstone

(in reply to ThatDamnedPanda)

Profile

Post #: 6