Two chances to see Int'l Space Station ... maybe
Marylanders headed for tonight's Flag Day celebrations at Fort McHenry (and anyone else who happens to be outdoors this evening) may get a glimpse of the International Space Station as it 
soars up the Eastern Seaboard. The flyover could come just after the fireworks display.
Unfortunately, the weather forecast calls for isolated thunderstorms, and "mostly cloudy" conditions Tuesday night. We may get a better look on Wednesday evening, when skies are expected to be only "parly cloudy." Here are the particulars:
TUESDAY: Stick around after the fireworks, and at 9:10 p.m. EDT, start looking for a bright, steady, star-like object rising above the southwest horizon. It will pass just below yellowish Saturn, climbing about halfway up the southeastern sky, above the rising almost-full moon at 9:13 p.m. From there, the ISS will fly off toward the east, disappearing at about 9:16 p.m.
WEDNESDAY: If the weather fails to cooperate Tuesday night, try again Wednesday evening. Look for a slightly less bright ISS to appear above the southwest horizon at 9:41 p.m. EDT, climbing to about halfway above the northwest horizon by 9:44 p.m. From there it will drift off toward the northeast, disappearing at 9:47 p.m.
And as always, stop back here and share the experience.
Comments
A long, lovely flyby last night - the ISS seemed to burst from a line of clouds on the horizon, and moved briskly past the moon (very bright!) and after a LONG 6 minutes, disappeared on the opposite horizon. Thanks, as always, for the heads up - it was a great show.
Posted by: Silver Run ISS Watcher | June 15, 2011 9:27 AM
Great pass by ISS tonight. Seemed brighter then on some other passes. I know no real new hardware. One of these days I will put a small scope or mount a pair of binoculars to a tripod and see what detail is visible.
FR: ISS brightness can vary quite a bit with sun angle on the solar panels and other structures.
Posted by: Mike S | June 15, 2011 10:21 AM
Thanks for the tip in todays (Wed 6.29.11) paper! I set my alarm and walked out mins before it appeared. I watched right from the comfort of my backyard! You could see it clear as day. Not the actual station and various parts itself; but you definitely could tell a bright star was steadily cruising over head. Awesome....
Posted by: joe | June 29, 2011 10:34 PM