. . . from your own backyard

 

Did you know that you sometimes can easily view satellites from your own backyard?

You can, but you have to know when and where to look. For example the International Space Station or Shuttle (or both when they're docked together) are easy naked eye objects, brighter than most stars, but there are lots of other satellites that can be seen too such as the Hubble Space Telescope, and even amateur radio satellites are often visible. It's difficult to see them in a telescope because they move quickly across the sky, but you can often see them with your naked eye or through binoculars. They can be seen under three conditions which must all be met simultaneously:

1. They must be passing overhead within a few hundred miles.

2. It must be dark where you are.

3. The satellite is still lit by the sun; that means it has to happen within a couple of hours after sunset or a couple hours before sunrise.

The trick is to know when and where to look for satellites, and a smart and talented German fellow named Chris Peat has made this possible for you. You can generate predictions for space station and other satellite passes from his website heavens-above.com. You first register and then can find out when and where to look for satellites passing above you or any other location you enter.

Some of the brightest and most interesting things you can see from your lawn chair are 'Iridium flares', caused by reflections of the sun from one of the highly polished aluminum mission antennae on each Iridium satellite. The Iridium global communication system provides satellite voice and data solutions with complete coverage of the earth (including oceans, airways and polar regions; see www.iridium.com). Iridium delivers communications services to and from remote areas where no other form of communication is available. It consists of 66 low-earth orbiting (LEO), cross-linked satellites and has multiple in-orbit spares. Now Chris Peat has made it possible for you to see them as they pass over you at night.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

Information can tell us everything. It has all the answers. But they are answers to questions we have not asked, and which doubtless don't even arise.

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