Another Satellite

ZeroID (Brent) · #1 27-03-2013, 08:46 AM

OK, I'm dumb here, I don't chase satellites but ..

Last night local at 20:53 a large object crossed my sky from SW to NE inmy high southern sky. I suspected ISS but through the binocs it dd not look like ISS. Possibly the Chinese station ? Very bright but no external solar panels visible.
Location is Auckland btw 174E 37S

Anyone able to enlighten ?

btw, Got some nice shots last night, 47 Tuc, more moon, K Cru and Tarantula areas ... Nebs a waste of time with moon & LP.

But I left the memory card at home

so have to wait

pluto (Hugh) · #2 27-03-2013, 09:25 AM

Probably ISS, there was a visible pass over Sydney around that time so could possibly have passed over Auckland too. In my experience Tiangong 1 is faint enough that I wouldn't describe it as "very bright", plus it has solar arrays.

Use this Heavens-above link for all your Auckland based visible satellite passes: http://www.heavens-above.com/?lat=-3...alt=13&tz=NZST

ZeroID (Brent) · #3 27-03-2013, 11:20 AM

Thanks Hugh, yeah, there was a pass at exactly that time by ISS and in that direction. Solar panels must have been turned to an angle that reduced their appearance.
At least I know my Tissot is keeping good time ..

SteveInNZ · #4 28-03-2013, 05:56 AM

That night the ISS rose in the SW and headed very close to Crux at 2053, where it entered Earth's shadow. That's based on my location a few km away from you, so I think that's a fairly safe bet.

ZeroID (Brent) · #5 28-03-2013, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveInNZ

That night the ISS rose in the SW and headed very close to Crux at 2053, where it entered Earth's shadow. That's based on my location a few km away from you, so I think that's a fairly safe bet.

Bang on Steve ( where are you ? - IIS reckons 4 kms !! )
I think it was just the angle the ISS was on fooled me, I couldn't see any panels and I only got a short look just before it faded into the shadow.

SteveInNZ · #6 28-03-2013, 01:41 PM

I'm in Blockhouse Bay/New Lynn.
There's a good pass tomorrow night. Horizon to horizon, overhead and mag -3.2.

Steve.

ZeroID (Brent) · #7 29-03-2013, 12:13 PM

I'm just over in Mt Albert on the southern slope. Hopefully clouds will cooperate.

Peteren (Peter) · #8 30-03-2013, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZeroID

OK, I'm dumb here, I don't chase satellites but ..

Last night local at 20:53 a large object crossed my sky from SW to NE inmy high southern sky. I suspected ISS but through the binocs it dd not look like ISS. Possibly the Chinese station ? Very bright but no external solar panels visible.

I had the same object last night, SW to NE high overhead, a very bright point in the bino's.