Can't believe I'm as old as I am and can't say I have definitively seen one. I was out at the hunting lease repairing a feeder and my buddy was regaling me with a trip he and his boy were on and they saw a satellite overhead a few days before in very clear weather right b/f sunset. So I start my googles and apparently this is quite a thing like looking at stars and such. Anyone here do much of it? I always though astrology was neat and I've looked through a telescope a few times, but I think I wanna look into this. Is it pretty much gotta get out of the city to see them? I even read there is an app that can help you find things like Hubble and likely times to see it...would like to hear if any Pitters have done this....maybe some of you even have pics that would be cool.....thanks!
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Spotting a satellite
- Thread starter atepointer
- Start date
I mean it's aight..... Stuff burning up in the atmosphere is still cooler....
Elon's skylink satellites were a trip first time I seen those
Elon's skylink satellites were a trip first time I seen those
Satellite spotting can be fun if the weather and lighting are right.
I watched in awe some years ago when the Space Shuttle was getting close to docking with the International Space Station. I watched both pass over just after sunset. Bright glowing spots of light in tandem. I'll never forget it.
There are apps you can load on your phone now that will alert you when stuff is due to pass overhead.
I watched in awe some years ago when the Space Shuttle was getting close to docking with the International Space Station. I watched both pass over just after sunset. Bright glowing spots of light in tandem. I'll never forget it.
There are apps you can load on your phone now that will alert you when stuff is due to pass overhead.
So geographically I don't need to worry about anything weatherwise I live on the gulf coast of Florida in the city and maybe I could go up on a parking garage at night and have a chance? Do I need to get away from things where it's not as much haze and maybe loess city lights? Thanks guys
Watched a space shuttle launch from Daytona or where ever on the east coast of FL while I was in lakeland, fl when I was in 6th grade (‘06). Seen a few satillites in the pitch dark of eastern Colorado too. It’s pretty neat imo I think less light pollution would definitely help, along with a clear night
I live in a light pollution zone so usually can't see them.
I go out to my friends farm a bit west and you see shit moving and have no doubt there is life "out there".
Star Link did pass over my house and that was visible even with the city being near by.
It was amazing we had to have watched 12 or more, one after the other all in line.
Went out early one morning and something caught my eye that I just knew was above the atmosphere.
Quick Google search of "Where is the ISS right now" and sure enough a web site popped up to show its flight path was right over my house.
I go out to my friends farm a bit west and you see shit moving and have no doubt there is life "out there".
Star Link did pass over my house and that was visible even with the city being near by.
It was amazing we had to have watched 12 or more, one after the other all in line.
Went out early one morning and something caught my eye that I just knew was above the atmosphere.
Quick Google search of "Where is the ISS right now" and sure enough a web site popped up to show its flight path was right over my house.
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I watched many a shuttle launch from Tampa on the parking garage across the street was always cool.
Look at a patch of sky for a period of time and you will note something moving.
It will typically resemble a faint small star and your first thought is going to be "Nah, it's not moving. I've been looking at the sky so long I just think it's moving"
Than you will realize yep it is moving and once you are certain you are tracking a moving object understand it is moving very fast across a vast expanse of space and that vastness is what allows you to track it.
Hope you see your man made objects but even better some burning shit. The burnie stuff is usually more entertaining.
Usually just before sunrise or shortly after sunset are the best times. You are in the dark but the satellite is still lit by the sun. They are moving much faster than any plane at high altitude. I have been fortunate to have seen several.
If you think that is neat, use night vision and look up at the stars.
If you think that is neat, use night vision and look up at the stars.
I cannot calculate the amount of time I have spent looking up counting them. Kids and make it a game who see them first. Record is 17 for my son, mine is 13 in one night. Starlink bumps the numbers up quickly these days.
SkyView app. I have it on my iPad. Works really well. There are other versions for android etc.
Jupiter/Saturn and Pluto conjunction is really intense right now.
Jupiter/Saturn and Pluto conjunction is really intense right now.
I saw that the first time a week or so ago. We saw the the space station glowing real nice a few weeks before that.
I was in Vt on 12/13/03 when Sadamm was caught. My wife and I watch the satellites move through the sky for over an hour. I told her something big was going on and about an hour later we get the "breaking news" Sadamm had been caught. Some had long tails and others just flickering as they moved across the sky. Up there it is every clear night you can see them. Here where I live in the winter can be good but in the summer too much light. Offshore at night can be really good also
See them all the time here at Schloss Nitrocellulose. But have the advantage of being on a hill with a 360 view... and almost zero light pollution. Amazing what you can see in really dark place. The Desert. Iceland. Ships in the North Atlantic.
Cheers,
Sirhr
Cheers,
Sirhr
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ya this is best for me also for Satellites . Just couple hours before Sunrise . When the Sun is moving ( on it's way up to creast ), but still down low under horizon to illuminate the objects . If you wearing NV, the satellites will Bloom Big reflection also and not look natural.
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i saw the space station a few nights ago, dan.
i dont know crap about this and prolly shouldnt open my trap, but i think, when you see things up there w a amber glow, they are closer to the sun, its the suns reflection that you see. if its moving and has a amber glow, its a satellite or space station. all stars and most planets are far away enough that only the blue and white rays can make the distance. making them a white visible to us.
i think.
i know we have the appropriate brainiac here for the task to explain it all
i dont know crap about this and prolly shouldnt open my trap, but i think, when you see things up there w a amber glow, they are closer to the sun, its the suns reflection that you see. if its moving and has a amber glow, its a satellite or space station. all stars and most planets are far away enough that only the blue and white rays can make the distance. making them a white visible to us.
i think.
i know we have the appropriate brainiac here for the task to explain it all
nice! hey get your bucket over here to shoot with us soon with bbq debauchery after. dunno what kind of bbq joints u have up that way, but smokin joes crushes anything we have in town....volume, quality and the price is nuts for what you get....10 bucks and it's all you can get down.
thanks dude and i will. i have alot to get moving and finish, but id love to.
give me a couple weeks, im burried w responsibility, lol
you got it just pop a flare when ready ! the weather has been nothing short of perfect last few trips.
It helps to see satellites if you're away from city lights, but the most spectacular aerial phenomena I ever saw occurred one clear evening in 1972 at my parent's house in suburban Houston. I was standing out on their back patio about 9 p.m. when, out of the corner of my eye, a flash of light caught my attention. I looked up just in time to see a meteor bright as a welding torch trailing multi-colored flames as it split in two. Each half veered off and quickly disappeared. A roaring sound and muffled explosion followed a few seconds later. It was one of the most amazing things I ever saw.
I spotted a satellite today. It was on its way up though! I grabbed this photo of today's SpaceX Falcon 9 launch at Cape Canaveral from Satellite Beach some dozen miles to the south.
I learned about this about 10 years ago. Surprised I never noticed before. I must not have been looking at the sky enough, or I passed them off as aircraft. We live out in the sticks now, and there is virtually no chance we don’t see one every time we look up on a clear dark night. May take 5-10 mins but they’re always there. They don’t flash like airplanes, and they haul ass. Not like shooting star fast, but clearly faster than anything else flying around. Once you see one, you’ll start picking them up quick. Earlier this year we saw 9 in a row, all equidistant, same speed, almost like they were attached to each other. Took about two minutes for them to all pass.
Here’s text alerts from NASA on when to look up for the ISS.
spotthestation.nasa.gov
Here’s text alerts from NASA on when to look up for the ISS.
International Space Station
See the International Space Station! As the third brightest object in the sky the space station is easy to see if you know when to look up.
I remember seeing that too. Pretty cool I was working nights and was outside on break looked up and saw it. Really wasn't sure what i had seen till the next day when I started doing some research. It was like a bright star chasing another one moving very fast. I have night sky on my phone now works pretty good for spotting stuff on a clear night.
I use an app called Skyguide. It's a couple three dollars, but it's a lot of fun. You can use it to search for all kind of things in the night sky, including satellites. I have mine set up to alert me when the ISS flies over. My daughter and I have both learned a lot since getting the app several years ago. I even bought her a green laser to point out celestial objects to her friends.
Sky Guide
Bring the beauty of the stars down to Earth. Hold Sky Guide® overhead to automatically identify any star, constellation, planet or satellite! Easy to use and powerful, it’s epic stargazing for any experience level. Is it a star or the planet Mars? Knowing what’s up in your night sky is easier...
apps.apple.com
I’ve seen the ISS a handful of times on nights when I was offshore which was pretty cool. I think the borealis is cooler to see though.
That is exactly how my buddy described them! They were looking up thiking what the heck???!!!I learned about this about 10 years ago. Surprised I never noticed before. I must not have been looking at the sky enough, or I passed them off as aircraft. We live out in the sticks now, and there is virtually no chance we don’t see one every time we look up on a clear dark night. May take 5-10 mins but they’re always there. They don’t flash like airplanes, and they haul ass. Not like shooting star fast, but clearly faster than anything else flying around. Once you see one, you’ll start picking them up quick. Earlier this year we saw 9 in a row, all equidistant, same speed, almost like they were attached to each other. Took about two minutes for them to all pass.
Here’s text alerts from NASA on when to look up for the ISS.
International Space Station
See the International Space Station! As the third brightest object in the sky the space station is easy to see if you know when to look up.
Add some fun to this fellas. If you have access to some decent NV device. Go to a fairly dark area, get a good idea of how many stars you can see....then look thru the NV device.
No matter how many hours I logged behind NV goggles it amazed me just how much you CANNOT see with the human eye. We truly are a needle in a HUGE stack of needles.
No matter how many hours I logged behind NV goggles it amazed me just how much you CANNOT see with the human eye. We truly are a needle in a HUGE stack of needles.
1. Space Station: ISS has a route that can be calculated. I use "Heavens Above" which I can program to calculate for where ever I am located. I have tried several times to connect with the ISS on Ham Radio, but so far no luck, EVERYONE is trying at the same time, and they give priority to schools. Saw the ISS, Soyuz and Shuttle flying in formation, before the shuttle and Soyuz came back to earth, while hunting at 6800 ft in elevation in north-central Oregon a few years back. Amazing. Even saw the retros fire.
2. Satellites: Earlier in the evening, rather than later, there are a lot of satellites moving both east-west, west-east, and north-south, south-north. Even in Texas, we can watch them while sitting in the hot tub. Been watching for them since Sputnik. There are a lotof really small sats, so sometimes you only see a flash or a very faint trace.
3. Iridium Flares: Iridium Satellites used to put on really large "flares" as they passed over certain areas. They are/were communication sats for Iridium phone system. They had really huge solar panels, and when orient correctly, would flash a beam of reflected sunlight at a particular location, gradually getting brighter, then dimming. I think they are almost all down now, and Iridium moved to smaller more efficient sats. I think.
Also shown on "Heavens Above".
4 Sky Train: The sky train was spaced in a Morse code pattern. "E M". I was trying to learn Morse code at the same time this was flying, and watched it go overhead. I said to the wife, "You know I just realized that says something!" So, next time I waited with that mind set. "E M" Elon Musk. the train has broken up as the sats are moved into their working orbits. Whether Musk will want to write his name in the sky in future sat cluster launches, is unknown, but wouldn't surprise me.
5. Stars and planets: The kids, and now the grandkids, always enjoyed finding stars and planets. mars is really obvious right now, bright red.
Jupiter can reveal up to 5 moons with just 8 power binoculars, A spotting scope is great for surface of the moon, or even comets. Rings of Saturn are easily seen plus some moons, with a spotting scope. Venus has Phases, just like the moon. We use a glow in the dark star map, plus the older kids use apps on the phone, that show current stars, planets and constellations.
Right now, the Pleides are high in the sky, the Geminid meteor shower is going on, and Jupiter and Saturn are close to sunset in the west. Orion is starting to rise earlier and earlier, and of course the North Star is always right where it belongs. It is easy to gain a knowledge of at least 5-10 Constellations, and stars, making a quick inventory fun. Everything is on google, so look it up.
6. Meteor Showers: Remnants of cometary dust enter the earth atmosphere, leaving tracks of color, in various shades, depending on what they are made of. Larger ones leave long streaks, and really big ones leave a smoky tail if seen in the evening while still light out. Hams sometimes use the ionized trail to bounce radio signals from. Very short lived. It is an extremely esoteric part of Ham Radio. Showers are best seen between 2-5 in the morning, but even early viewing can see several before retiring.
7 Visual augmentation: Naked eye, is best, but binos can cadd to the fun, then also Spotting scopes, all of which most of us have on hand.
Then the rabbit hole opens: Some guys get some nice scopes, and can spend a ton of money on them, especially if they come with a computer-slaved motor drive to keep target in view. The big reflectors are touchy but can really pay off in incredible views of planets, stars, and galaxies or other bodies. Star parties are sponsored by local clubs and universities, and are usually open to interested public. Not only can you see some incredible sights, but you can also see and use an example of various types of set up, with a specialist to teach you, and answer questions.
The sky immediately over our heads is filled with working Sats, Space Junk, and natural bodies. Most of it is tracked. A lot of the junk is a hazard to space navigation.
As Jack Horkheimer used to say, "Keep looking up!"
2. Satellites: Earlier in the evening, rather than later, there are a lot of satellites moving both east-west, west-east, and north-south, south-north. Even in Texas, we can watch them while sitting in the hot tub. Been watching for them since Sputnik. There are a lotof really small sats, so sometimes you only see a flash or a very faint trace.
3. Iridium Flares: Iridium Satellites used to put on really large "flares" as they passed over certain areas. They are/were communication sats for Iridium phone system. They had really huge solar panels, and when orient correctly, would flash a beam of reflected sunlight at a particular location, gradually getting brighter, then dimming. I think they are almost all down now, and Iridium moved to smaller more efficient sats. I think.
Also shown on "Heavens Above".
4 Sky Train: The sky train was spaced in a Morse code pattern. "E M". I was trying to learn Morse code at the same time this was flying, and watched it go overhead. I said to the wife, "You know I just realized that says something!" So, next time I waited with that mind set. "E M" Elon Musk. the train has broken up as the sats are moved into their working orbits. Whether Musk will want to write his name in the sky in future sat cluster launches, is unknown, but wouldn't surprise me.
5. Stars and planets: The kids, and now the grandkids, always enjoyed finding stars and planets. mars is really obvious right now, bright red.
Jupiter can reveal up to 5 moons with just 8 power binoculars, A spotting scope is great for surface of the moon, or even comets. Rings of Saturn are easily seen plus some moons, with a spotting scope. Venus has Phases, just like the moon. We use a glow in the dark star map, plus the older kids use apps on the phone, that show current stars, planets and constellations.
Right now, the Pleides are high in the sky, the Geminid meteor shower is going on, and Jupiter and Saturn are close to sunset in the west. Orion is starting to rise earlier and earlier, and of course the North Star is always right where it belongs. It is easy to gain a knowledge of at least 5-10 Constellations, and stars, making a quick inventory fun. Everything is on google, so look it up.
6. Meteor Showers: Remnants of cometary dust enter the earth atmosphere, leaving tracks of color, in various shades, depending on what they are made of. Larger ones leave long streaks, and really big ones leave a smoky tail if seen in the evening while still light out. Hams sometimes use the ionized trail to bounce radio signals from. Very short lived. It is an extremely esoteric part of Ham Radio. Showers are best seen between 2-5 in the morning, but even early viewing can see several before retiring.
7 Visual augmentation: Naked eye, is best, but binos can cadd to the fun, then also Spotting scopes, all of which most of us have on hand.
Then the rabbit hole opens: Some guys get some nice scopes, and can spend a ton of money on them, especially if they come with a computer-slaved motor drive to keep target in view. The big reflectors are touchy but can really pay off in incredible views of planets, stars, and galaxies or other bodies. Star parties are sponsored by local clubs and universities, and are usually open to interested public. Not only can you see some incredible sights, but you can also see and use an example of various types of set up, with a specialist to teach you, and answer questions.
The sky immediately over our heads is filled with working Sats, Space Junk, and natural bodies. Most of it is tracked. A lot of the junk is a hazard to space navigation.
As Jack Horkheimer used to say, "Keep looking up!"
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I'm truly looking forward to this now! I have an acquaintance with a really nice white phosphor TNV setup.....and methinks I may have to stay out past my bedtime soon!
Another recommendation here, for using NV. Even with light pollution here in SoCal, NV really allows you to see stuff the human just can't pull out of the spectrum.
I saw a couple dozen meteors last night on my walk up to the house.
Real cool.
I've seen one at a time but I've never seen a shower of them like last night
Real cool.
I've seen one at a time but I've never seen a shower of them like last night
When I lived in MIckey Mouse land, I was able to watch a shuttle launch from my driveway early one morning. When they lit those boosters, the whole horizon lit up like someone turned on the lights. Amazing. Also have watched the ISS fly over the house a few times, right at dusk was the brightest as the ISS was reflecting a lot of sunlight. Buzzing at 17K+ mph is cool.
Yeah, I remember seeing one launch, when I was visiting my parents while on leave. My Dad was pushing Navy boots in Orlando at the time. It was pretty amazing seeing it go up (night time launch).
When I was 11 years old, my father pointed out the ECHO satellite as it moved pass .... was a huge aluminum passive reflector for micro wave balloon... photos of it on land told the story of it's size, just massive
A friend of mine had an 8" telescope set up in his yard out in the country. He focused it and we could clearly see the moons of (Jupiter?) (Saturn?). It was absolutely amazing. By the time you looked, the target had moved out of the field of view, without the motorized stabilization thing.
With your spotting scope you can see the moons of jupiter even while "in town"
Set it up on a car so it is stable. (assuming your tripod is short like mine)
Aim it at the brightest star to the southwest (Dec 2020)
You should see between 1-4 moons depending on the day.
Just above Jupiter is Saturn. I was also able to resolve its rings in a spotting scope. And mine is an el-cheapo.
I showed my wife and kids 2 nights ago.
Spotting scopes have a wide enough FOV that the objects move only very slowly out of the field of view.
Planets/bright nebulas/clusters are all resolvable at very low power. Its a real crowd pleaser.
Set it up on a car so it is stable. (assuming your tripod is short like mine)
Aim it at the brightest star to the southwest (Dec 2020)
You should see between 1-4 moons depending on the day.
Just above Jupiter is Saturn. I was also able to resolve its rings in a spotting scope. And mine is an el-cheapo.
I showed my wife and kids 2 nights ago.
Spotting scopes have a wide enough FOV that the objects move only very slowly out of the field of view.
Planets/bright nebulas/clusters are all resolvable at very low power. Its a real crowd pleaser.
As you can see they move pretty quick (as in hours--not that quick) but a cool guide to help you ID what is what.
The moons will be "tilted" towards the sun. Aka tilt the image about 45 degrees so right is "down" and left is "up"
When I was a kid I saw Sputnik I & II and Echo and Explorer I think so that dates me a bit.
The most spectacular thing I have ever seen was a comet about 20-30 years ago that some Japanese astronomer had found that came close to earth going S to N. It happened quick and didn't get much coverage. Spectacular the first night, about gone the next night. The first night I went out to look in the wee small hours and was just amazed.
I went home and got my Squaw and kids out of bed about 03:00 and made them go with me N of town where it is dark and we looked at it til the kids were cold. They still all remember it and bitch about being rousted out of bed. I need to research that and find out what it was named.
I saw a re-entry of a Soviet booster rocket while driving from Canon City to Limon one night and stopped on the side of the road to watch that. It was big and lit the sky. I remember thinking,"I ain't saying shit about this as everyone will think you are a flying saucer guy." Around 78-79. It was on the morning News the next AM and pieces were found down in New Mexico.
I do want to see the sat. launches where they are all in a row but haven't caught it yet.
I think there are places to go on the internet to find when and where they are coming by but I lost that bit of information so if someone can help me on that I would appreciate it.
There is so much shit orbiting our globe that if you can't go look on any clear night and see one, you just don't now what you are looking at. Many are just in place and don't move but not all.
Interesting thread. Thank you OP.
The most spectacular thing I have ever seen was a comet about 20-30 years ago that some Japanese astronomer had found that came close to earth going S to N. It happened quick and didn't get much coverage. Spectacular the first night, about gone the next night. The first night I went out to look in the wee small hours and was just amazed.
I went home and got my Squaw and kids out of bed about 03:00 and made them go with me N of town where it is dark and we looked at it til the kids were cold. They still all remember it and bitch about being rousted out of bed. I need to research that and find out what it was named.
I saw a re-entry of a Soviet booster rocket while driving from Canon City to Limon one night and stopped on the side of the road to watch that. It was big and lit the sky. I remember thinking,"I ain't saying shit about this as everyone will think you are a flying saucer guy." Around 78-79. It was on the morning News the next AM and pieces were found down in New Mexico.
I do want to see the sat. launches where they are all in a row but haven't caught it yet.
I think there are places to go on the internet to find when and where they are coming by but I lost that bit of information so if someone can help me on that I would appreciate it.
There is so much shit orbiting our globe that if you can't go look on any clear night and see one, you just don't now what you are looking at. Many are just in place and don't move but not all.
Interesting thread. Thank you OP.
