Weather permitting, tonight and DSC provide excellent opportunities for ISS spotting. Tonight until Monday night each has a pass brighter than magnitude -2.0 and Saturday night has two!! Check out www.heavens-above.com
I'm gutted I can't be there.
Data below is for Tuesnoad - it'll be slightly different for Sidcup/Orpington. Times are BST
Date Mag Starts Max. altitude Ends
Time Alt. Az. Time Alt. Az. Time Alt. Az.
3 Apr -2.3 20:40:45 10 W 20:43:37 78 N 20:45:36 18 E
3 Apr 0.1 22:15:49 10 W 22:16:54 20 W 22:16:54 20 W
4 Apr -2.5 21:02:38 10 W 21:05:30 88 N 21:06:36 34 E
4 Apr 0.9 22:37:46 10 W 22:37:54 11 W 22:37:54 11 W
5 Apr -2.3 19:49:23 10 W 19:52:15 78 N 19:55:07 10 E
5 Apr -2.3 21:24:27 10 W 21:27:17 62 SSW 21:27:32 58 SSE
6 Apr -2.3 20:11:09 10 W 20:14:00 85 NNW 20:16:54 10 E
6 Apr -1.0 21:46:17 10 W 21:48:25 30 SW 21:48:25 30 SW
7 Apr -2.2 20:32:52 10 W 20:35:43 64 SSW 20:37:58 15 ESE
7 Apr 0.3 22:08:26 10 WSW 22:09:16 14 WSW 22:09:16 14 WSW
If you want to try a photo, check my previous ISS photos in the gallery for typical F-ratios, ISOs and shutter speeds to use. If you're using some other type of CCD, use exposure settings consistent with a bright sunny day (since the ISS is in sunshine up there).
Note also that from this afternoon, the Jules Verne freighter will be attached (probably 'til August).
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7327655.stm
ATV (Jules Verne) should have docked by this time, (I believe the 3rd April) but if something happens we may see the two in tandem, as I did on Monday with ATV about 10 seconds ahead of the ISS.
This is also taken from Heavens-Above and is the data required for Tuesnoad, the bit I don't understand is that if it is docking with the ISS today, surely the data would be the same as the ISS's.
There is something strange happening with all these spacecrafts lately!!!!!!
Date Mag Starts Max. altitude Ends
Time Alt. Az. Time Alt. Az. Time Alt. Az.
3 Apr -0.4 20:38:00 10 W 20:40:46 77 N 20:42:44 17 E
3 Apr 2.1 22:12:43 10 W 22:13:44 20 W 22:13:44 20 W
4 Apr -0.5 20:54:28 10 W 20:57:14 84 N 20:58:32 28 E
4 Apr 2.7 22:29:14 10 W 22:29:31 12 W 22:29:31 12 W
5 Apr -0.5 21:10:52 10 W 21:13:38 71 SSW 21:14:17 46 SE
6 Apr -0.4 19:52:33 10 W 19:55:19 80 N 19:58:04 10 E
6 Apr 0.2 21:27:16 10 W 21:29:55 42 SSW 21:30:00 41 SSW
7 Apr -0.5 20:08:52 10 W 20:11:38 81 SSW 20:14:24 10 ESE
7 Apr 1.4 21:43:47 10 W 21:45:41 22 SW 21:45:41 22 SW
Tony G
Forecast for Saturday night isn't looking too shabby at the moment. It would be great to see this visually or even try out for an image.