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

I stepped outside into the garden a few minutes ago, when I was distracted by two strange objects in the sky. They were travelling fast - one was white, the other red, and they appeared to be moving in lock-step with each other: the red object was directly below the white object.

I've seen this happen just once before: again totally by accident. It was the space shuttle and its fuel tank, only 20 minutes after having blasted off from Cape Canaveral. I didn't even realise that a launch was planned.

Terrific! I'm a happy chappie this evening.

Wow! It'a still bright daylight here in Colorado...The world is round.

I think this was an unscheduled launch...they're delivering a much needed replacement pump for the ISS toilet.

The shame of it, delivering a portaloo to the space station!

In space - no one can hear you flush

Hmm - maybe that red thing underneath the shuttle was something else then..

Coo! I'm impressed that you realised what it was you were seeing.

Out camping in Glenfillan, we say what we *assume* was the ISS. It was very bright...but going faster than I'd expected.


I've met an ISS commander.

If it was travelling from west to east very steadily and it was very bright, I'd say you saw it. I have managed to see the ISS every night for the last few days, mostly by accident... It's quite beautiful.

I remember seeing Skylab while on a Scout camp in Devon, age eleven.

It was an in tents experience.

Also...nontilucent clouds.

Nontilucent? Mais non!

I remember the thrill in school when it was announced that Skylab would crash into the Earth.

I've just ran out to see it again. It's amazing how quickly it dims when it hit the Earth's shadow.