ISS multiple passes - July 6,7,8

[MarkS]

We have just entered a very rich ISS season peaking on 7 July. 

Sun 5 July - 3 consecutive visible passes beginning 2 minutes after midnight
Mon 6 July - 4 consecutive visible passes beginning at 23:13 BST
Tue 7 July - 5 (!!) consecutive visible passes beginning at 22:04 BST
Wed 8 July - 4 consecutive visible passes beginning at 22:28 BST
Thur 9 July - 3 consecutive visible passes beginning at 22:52 BST

Mark

[Mike]

Wow!! Look forward to plenty of images from you then !

[JohnP]

How the hell does it manage 5 passes in one night...? Is it flying in a circle over Bromley or something???

[Rick]

One orbit every 95 minutes or so, but we're nicely placed^*1 at the latitude where passes are close to west-east, so several consecutive passes come near enough to be seen. Then add in the current near-midsummer tilt, and add ISS's altitude, and the geometry's good for ISS to be illuminated on every one. Add in that ISS is now bright enough to see in daylight...

^*1 If you live near the equator then you get far fewer opportunities to catch visible passes of ISS. Much further North than the UK and you'll never see it.

[mickw]

Bit more info

http://www.space.com/spacewatch/090630-space-station-spotting.html