International Space Station (ISS)... Finally!

For years I’ve been trying to watch the ISS fly over with my Dad while he is home in Ohio and I’m home in Florida. Tonight it finally happened! Really cool that the ISS can be seen from so far away at the same time!
My passion for the stars came from my Dad, I remember him waking me up in the middle of the night or early morning to watch Sky Lab fly over. Waking up for 4am fly over of the USPS mail plane was also a regular. He took an astronomy class at OSU when I was in elemtary school and I read (the pictures hooked me!) his class text book was super cool!
It would be cool to see how far apart members could actually see the ISS at the same time. :smiley:

Up until a few years ago, before the end of the shuttle era, we would keep tabs on when it was docking or leaving the ISS. Looking up in the sky, you could see the shuttle ‘chasing’ the space station.

The very first shuttle mission passed over my home in Ventura CA on its approach to Edwards AFB. There were two very distant sonic booms.

The second mission, they passed over at 6AM. I was asleep on a heavy hide-a-bed couch in my living room when I was awakened from a deep sleep by two huge explosions. Shook the entire house, rattled the windows. I thought two aircraft had exploded above the house and immediately rolled off the couch and tried desperately to claw my way under it. A space of about an inch and a half. Then I realized what had happened.

I haven’t seen it for awhile, I think my app may need an update… good memory B :lol:

We have viewed this from Ohio and Florida 3 different times… so far. Looks like the next “good” viewing here is Sunday August 26 from 6:19AM to 6:25AM. :wink:

I love the spot the station emails :smiley: That thing really gets it.

Flew over this morning… popped out of the north sky big and bright and gradually faded into the east.

Quite the show this morning, full moon highlighting high whispy clouds reminiscent of the Northern Lights widespread across the night sky. The Space Station pops out of the earths shadow just above the tree line here while 251 mile above Central America, just as it reached elevation to the area of Orion’s left foot a large bright long lasting shooting star pops from above Orion and falls between Orion and ISS almost to the horizon. The ISS continued it’s 6 minute trek through our view before disappearing from our view here 251 miles above the earth off the coat of Nova Scotia. :lol:

That must have been cool :smiley:

Interesting thread, thanks for sharing. Might just have to download the app!

Here ya go John.

Spot The Station | NASA

Thanks Mike! The skies here outside of Albuquerque are incredibly clear. All of the mountain west is.

Enjoy. It is fun and I always try to get kids involved. They really get a kick out of it.

I think the next viewing window here is Nov 12th.

Looks like November 13 will be a good viewing opportunity here, the other times may not clear the tree line.

I use an app on my phone… ISS Detector. :wink: