Post by Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe on Oct 2, 2023 8:11:10 GMT -6
International Space Station pass
Monday 02 October 2023
Monday 02 October 2023
Sky lovers will have an exceptional opportunity to view the ISS pass over Chicago skies Monday evening.
Details...
Look to the Northwest at 7:17 pm for an ever brightening steady white pin point of light. (NOTE: If it blinks...it's an aircraft.)
It will be low to the horizon at first, but will quickly rise in altitude, becoming brighter and achieving a very bright magnitude of -3.8....this is very bright!
The ISS will proceed to the Northeast, reaching an incredible 86 degrees, (90 degrees is straight overhead), then will continue toward the Southeast, where it will disappear in the Earth's shadow and pop out of view at 7:23 pm near the planet Saturn.
You will first spot the ISS at a distance about 2,355 miles away and at it's closest overhead, it will only be about 260 miles high...then vanish from view at about 800 miles distant.
The ISS will pass through our urban starfields and the "Summer Triangle", high above, with the gigantic solar panels on the station reflecting the sunlight on the football field sized spacecraft. This remarkable ISS pass will last a whole six (6) minutes for your enjoyment, so bring out your families and friends and wave hi to the seven Astronauts on board. If you image the ISS pass, post your photos here. I will have my After School Matters Astronomy students observe this event and report on it in class.
And while you are out...catch the Moon pairing up with the Seven Sisters (Pleiades - M45)
Orbital Mechanics in action...
Astro Joe
