Space Station in full flower
The most recent space shuttle mission to the International Space Station included the installation of the fourth and final pair of solar panels on the growing outpost. And that brought the station, finally, to the appearance that we have until now had to rely on NASA artists to provide.
So here it is (above). You can read more about it here. And here (below right) is how the place looked in September 2000.
The ISS is, of course, visible from the ground with the naked eye in the early morning or the early evening after sunset, when the station is in sunlight and the observer on the ground is still in darkness. It's brighter than ever now with its new solar panels. Unfortunately, the next chance to see it from Maryland will be in the early morning hours next week - between 3:45 and 6 a.m. That's too early for my blood. But we will post the next good evening flyovers when they get closer.
Many amateur astronomers love the challenge of capturing recognizable images of the station through telescopes during these flyovers. Some are truly remarkable. Here's one that captured one of the spacewalking astronauts as he worked on the construction project during the recent mission. Amazing.
Comments
Some of us are up that early. Outside, even.
FR: Well, okay then. The best of the series will occur Wednesday morning, April 22. The ISS will rise in the western sky, becoming visible at 5:32 a.m. Almost as bright as Venus (which will be low on the eastern horizon) the ISS will move toward the northeast, rising as high as 55 degrees above the northwestern horizon, just above the Big Dipper, at 5:35 a.m. Then it will move off toward the northeastern horizon, through the constellation Cassiopeia before disappearing at 5:38 .m. Enjoy. I will be asleep.
Posted by: Lissa | April 16, 2009 2:36 PM