h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hello Christiane.
I hope you don’t mind me moving my reply to your PS. It seems more appropriate than tagged onto Puppis.

Yes, you can see quite a bit of the starry sky from England although a lot of the stray light from towns and street lighting makes it difficult. To get any sort of result you would normally have to stay outside in the dark to let your eyes get accustomed to the dark for anything up to half an hour without looking at anything bright. It’s not something I‘d recommend on a cold winter’s night.

Regretfully I can’t organise a fly-by of the ISS, even Sir Patrick can’t do that. You wouldn’t be able to get it with a telescope anyway, it just goes too fast and there isn’t any optical telescope that could keep up with it. Depending on how high in the sky it is it takes only around 2 to 3 minutes to pass from horizon to horizon.

But it can be seen without optical aids (specs excluded). Usually as a very bright star travelling fast against the backdrop of lesser stars. You’ve just got to know where and when to look. Luckily there is a website that gives you the where and when, centred on your location. It’s called Heavens Above. It’s here if you want to have a try.
http://www.heavens-above.com/?Session=kebgcobgpkglhlpdgnlpopea

The map on the front page is constantly updated,and is where the ISS is now. If you don’t feel like doing yourself, give me your hometown location and I’ll feed it in to see when the next pass is. All you’ve got to hope for is that it isn’t cloudy right at that time.

I’d be happy to be on your friends list. Thanks.,

Hi Deke,
Thanks a lot.

A nice person called Galaxie Babe wrote to me and said that she could find lots of of stars in the sky where she lived. Well certainly I have not seen any from my balcony, but then perhaps it is because I do not go out on it at night. I only look through the glass windows which we have as the "wall" which is facing the Channel.

Does the ISS go much faster than the capsules used to go ? Certainly when my husband and I watched it it appeared to be going much faster than a star' The striking thing was that it was still visible when it disappeared down/past/below the horizon Is it called the horizon at night? I mean, the area where the blackness of the sky disappears, and one can see/imagine/sense the earth joining. That sounds jolly convoluted. But even at night one can "see/feel/hear" where the sky becomes earth.

I mean even here, in my channel eyrie, The sky/horizon ends where I can still see - either the lights on ships which are passing. or during the day as far as my eyes can see.

So , are you able to say that one can see the ISS moving in the sky with the naked eye if one knows which area of the sky to look at , depending on where one lives? If that is so, does it go faster than the capsule that the astronauts first flew in.

If so, why does it go faster? I thought they were just out of the pull of the earth's gravitational pull and certainly not as far as the moon.

Lots of crazy questions. Only answer them if you have the time. !!

I live at a channel port called Folkestone in Kent. Right next to the channel. I went to have a look at your link. That is far too advanced for me.!! So if you can tell me which part of the sky it is orbiting - or does it change it's orbit? - I shall arrange for a tame friend to take me out in my wheelchair in the middle of the night. Actually. I shall have to remember to tell the Chairperson of the Management Committee not to lock the door of this block of flats that night. !! !!

Perhoas it could be my treat for going to Midnight Mass. !!
And if it snows so much the better.

Thank you so much.

Christiane sky/star-crazy great grandmother. !!
AlsoRan80

The orbit of the ISS remains the same all the time. It’s just that the Earth rotates under it so that every point on Earth passes under it‘s path twice a day. So if you happen to be passing under the path just at the same time as it is going over, and you are in the dark within a few hours of sunset, and the weather is clear, you might just get to see it.

It does happen more often than you might think. Your location and mine is not due for another visible pass for at least ten days though. I’ll drop a line when it‘s next due. It orbits at a height of about 250 miles (give or take), so you get to see it as a very bright star, There are no discernable features to the naked eye, in fact it looks rather like Venus at it’s brightest.

To all intents and purposes, you will only be able to see it when the sun has set below your horizon and it is passing over still being illuminated by the sun due to its height. That‘s generally for a few hours after sunset or a few before dawn. I usually settle for the evening ones. I‘m not an early riser.

It moves at quite a pace and covers the distance of horizon to horizon in about 2-3 minutes. It looks about the speed of a high flying aircraft, like those that leave contrails. (but without the trail). It’s actual speed is around 15.000 mph. That’s enough to keep it in freefall around the Earth. Most of the older spacecraft did much the same.

In November there is another space Shuttle to the ISS and it is possible to see the two linked together though I’ve never seen that myself. I believe one researcher on H2 has seen it though including a following object which has been identified as the discarded fuel tank.

Deke

Try these:

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap070818.html

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap011012.html

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap080604.html

Hi Deke.

Thank you so much. Your explanations are so clear and practically easy to unerstand. Bless you

As instructed I put my cursor on that picture that was taken in Germany. it was wonderful to see the ISS highlighted - then the various constellations. However I did not manage to see either the aircraft or the jettisoned fuel tank from the shuttle.

The other picture with the docking of the space station is brilliant. The poor space shuttle. They have to be pointing to heaven to take off, and to earth when they dock. That is strange is it probably gravitationally corect.

I so appreciate what you are doing for me. Thank you so mcuh.

Good wishes

Christiane.

There is going to be a series of passes beginning from 21 Nov. but initially they will be quite feint. They all happen just a bit after sunset. You will need a clock that is accurate to the minute. . If you‘re in Folkestone and you look towards France they will all start at about 10 degrees above the horizon on your right hand., approximately where the sun went down in the West. They climb up to their highest point in front of you (over France) then descend towards the other horizon on your left hand (East). In most cases they will disappear before they get to the left hand horizon as they enter the Earths shadow.

Weather permitting, the maximum time you will get to see it will be three to four minutes.

There are others but the brightest ones are these:

24 Nov
Starts 5:15:38 PM (That’s quarter past five in the evening.)
Max Height 5:18:10 PM
Disappears 5:19:26 PM

25 Nov
Starts 5:41:04
Max Height 5:43:56
Disappears 5:44:24

26 Nov
Starts 6:06:53
Max Height 6:09:19
Disappears 6:09:19

27 Nov
Starts 4:57:36
Max Height 5:00:28
Disappears 5:02:38
At its highest point this one will be almost 60 degrees above the horizon


28 Nov (This is the brightest one)
Starts 5:23:24
Max Height 5:26:20
Disappears 5:27:28
At its highest point this one will be almost directly overhead.

See how you get on with these. I'll post some more as they come up.
Happy hunting

Oh by the way, the Space Shuttle 'Endeavour' is docked with the ISS at the moment and it's due to return on the 29th Nov.

Oh you darling Deke/

Thank goodness I had a new glass sliding door put in yesterday so it is a clear as anything.

I have a friend coming this afternoon so he will be able to help me find it.

I am really excited.

I have been following the docking of the Endeavour. I think they took up two more bedrooms. !!

Thank you again so much.

Sincerely,

Christiane.

Dear Deke.

I meant to write to you on Thursday but unfortunately had rather a bad week forgetting everything including myself.

I gazed in the direction you had indicated - unfortunately I did not see ISS appearing up over the horizon but I definitely saw a light moving in an arc as you described, but only for a short time. I did not see it at it's full "height" and did not see it disappearing down on the other horizon.

Why does it go in an arc in England and yet when I saw the space Shuttle in Somerset West - about 50 kilometres up the eastern coast of Cape Town South Africa we saw it just sort of plunging down behind the mountains of the Hottentots Holland and into the sea ? Perhaps it is a much bigger arc down south. ?

Anyway, the night of the full arc I did not catch a sight of anything. I switched off everything in my living room, but still could see nothing -perhaps because the street light were on and really my eyesight is deteriorating rapidly.

Thank you so much for your help. I hope that all your indoor work is going well.

Sincere thanks for the help you gave me


Christiane,
Also Ran80

Hello Christiane! Sorry to have, er, neglected you for so long. I've been away, as I threatened, and since our return Christmas has launched an attack, which meant so much had (and has!) to be done.

However, I'm taking a minute or two off to say hello, and even to send festive greetings rather early in case obligations intrude again.

How are you? There were some tests, weren't there? D'you want to talk about them?

Keep well, keep warm, and keep cheerful....PLEASE!

Dig

Very dear Seraphic Digitalis

wjhat a splendid surprise to receive your lovely posting.

I will try and be cheeful - although it really was a huge shock. somehow one never thinks that anything will happen to one. anyway I am slowly picking myself up. I have got a marvellous cardiologist here who was so incredibly kind and gentle with me yesterday and is relaly concerneed about me. I am going up to ashford for a scan - I think next week, to se how much of the grey matter is either damaged, dying or just plain dead. !! I hope not too mkuch. but I suppose that when it all goes one is in the happy land of Nod. . Smiling at everyone.

Dear K. has ben quite splendid and taking care of me. My eldest son has phoned eevery night and is coing out this weekend. I do not want to see many people. I have lost a lot of weight 0 I could afford to - but it does rather increase the haggardness. Like an old witchI am. !!

anyway, my dear friend, I shall remain cheerful - I certainly am not nervous of the outcome 0 it happens to all of us. !!I hope to talk to you again before christmas. I have one of my lovely australian granddaughters who is a Mechanical Engineer and is working with and designing wind generators coming nover from Holland for christmas. she is such a devoted darling.

With much affection
Christiane
Alsoran80

This all sounds terrible, I do hope it changes fro the better. As long as you can keep warm, I think things are bearable.

I'm glad that you have good people around you. This makes an enormous difference, doesn't it.

Do keep me informed, and take my very best wishes with you to Ashford. though, of course, you know you have them right there all of the time!!

Affectionately
Dig

So very many thanks dear Seraphic Digitalis.

I feel better - somehow one does just manage to scrape a bit more courage from the barrel of life. Kindness and compassion are the things which keep one going. !!

with much affection

Christiane

AR80

You're so right!
If people didn't love us , there's no point in anything , but at least you know we care !

Keep well, and keep us posted.


Dig

Hi Christiane
Thank’s for your messages over the last few days. I hope everthing went well on your check up. If you’re still game for another try at the ISS, passes for the next few days are all early morning ones I'm afraid.

27 Dec (tomorrow)
Rises in the West 6.42 am
At its highest, nearly overhead, but a bit to the north of you (between Folkstone and London) 6.44 am
Sets in the East 6.47 am

28 Dec
Rises in the West 7.08 am
At its highest, nearly overhead. Crosses the channel south of you, but almost overhead 7.11 am
Sets in the East 7.14 am

30 Dec
Rises in the West 6.28 am
At its highest. Crosses the channel South of you but almost overhead 6.30 am
Disappears in the East 6.33 am

31 Dec
Rises in the West 6.54 am
Crosses the channel south of you but lower down, about halfway between o/head and the horizon 6.56 am
Sets in the East 6.59 am

Good hunting.

Very dear Deke.

Thank y9ou so much. I am really thrilled about that. Shall start very soon and clad warmly wioll go onto my little bnalcony and see what I can see.

<ust I have a date with the ISS


Christiane
AlsoRan80

Saturday 27th December 20088.40 GMT
Hi Deke,

Well my son and I went out. There was fairly thick cloud just on the horizon within our view but clear dark sky above By the time the "flyover" time had come and gone, the low cloud had moved consideraly higher in the sky. Unfortunately today I saw nothing.
However, today I am going to go and buy some sort of compass. My parents had an old fashioned one - or rather a couple. I would like one to hang on my wall - one taps it and one can foretell if it is going to rain, wind, blow etc. etc. !! Of course one can use the compurter now, but it is nice to be able to see it. !!.

Thank you for all the "Flyover" details. We shall try again tomorrow morning. Am I right in thinking that the ISS is doing it's orbits from north to south and not around the earth, like following the Equator? I know it is probably a silly question, but are the terms longtitudinal and horisontal (latitude) the correct terms to use? I have forgotten - it is such a long time since I ever learnt or knew about them,!!

I hope we shall have better luck tomorrow. Thank you for sending me the details.

Have a good day.
Sincerely,

Christiane
AR80

I’m sorry that you weren’t successful this morning. Cloud does have a habit of getting in the way.

The instrument you describe is a barometer and isn’t going to be much use for direction finding. The directions I’ve given are only approximate and a general guide. All you really need is to know that West is the general direction that the Sun goes down and East where it comes up. If you can just take a look where the Sun is going down to the horizon and that’s about west, Exactly the opposite direction is east.


You are more or less right about the orbit. It doesn’t follow the equator, and it doesn’t pass over the north and south poles either.
The ISS orbits at an angle of 51 degrees inclined to our equator. So for us at the moment it’s coming from the south west and heading toward the north east. So if you imagine the ‘grid’ of longitude and latitude lines, it’s sort of passing diagonally across them, from bottom to top.

Deke

Dear Deke,

Thank you so much for the clear directions. I looked again this morning, but it was even more overcast thanyesterday- which incidentally cleared up significently during the day.
Thank you for the explications about barometers and compasses. I believe that I would like one of each. It wwould be wonderful if I could find an old fashioned one like my family used to have. !!

At the moment I am finding it a bit difficult to get motivated. Age plus all the wretched health problems I suppose. I am hoping that I shall perk up by some miracle.

With good wishes to you both.

Sincerely,

Christiane.

Sad;y it was clooudy and overcast although it cheered up later.
I also had a look today, the lst of January.2009
Nothing doing. !!
I hope that I shall have another opportunity of trying to catch sight of the ISS

Hope that you had a good New Year, and that this year 2009 will bring you much happiness and success.

Kind regards

CME
AT80