Has anybody else noticed the Sky Lab in the clear star-bright night sky lately?

As I’ve looked up at that bright beacon in the sky the last few nights, I’ve wondered if they knew that others were looking up at them and wishing them well. Or do they even think about being so far from home or wonder if anybody really cares?

Has anyone else seen this amazing sight lately and wonder too what those guys are going through as they look down on us from so far away?

Mooch,

Wow! What direction is the Sky-Lab in the "sky"? ie; S, S.E., S.W....Zenith?

Mooch,
What kind of wine are you having?

Darin,
At around 9 PM as you are facing south it is around 10 o’clock in the sky, which should be around 45 degrees up in the east southeast section of the sky. I may be off some here, but you can’t miss it if you looking anywhere up in the southeast direction because it is remarkably bright. It is noticeably bigger and brighter than any of the stars or planets. If you watch it for a while it even appears to be moving very slowly. Check it out while the sky is still clear, which is not very often around these parts.

Stihlhead,
My problem is probably that I’m not drinking any wine these days. Although I will admit that I am a bit bleary eyed when I take the "boys" out at night to "clear the perimeter" and take care of some "business".
Sorry, I didn’t mean to wax poetic, but someone just recently reminded me that fishing is about more than just catching fish. I will readily admit that fishing has definately helped me to be more aware and appreciative of the beauty that surrounds us. A great lady used to accuse me of using fishing as a means to steep myself in nature and stay busy while I was doing it. Since then the greatest challenge for me has been to stay less BUSY with the fishing and more open to all that nature has to offer while I’m out there. Gradually I’m beginning to appreciate that the frosting is even better with the cake.
Sometimes that means getting my head out of my cast and looking up to the sky every once in awhile.
Check it out, you won’t be disappointed.

I think you are looking at Jupiter.

If you go here http://www.heavens-above.com/ you can set up an account that will tell you when and where to look for the International Space Station. It Zips across the Sky!

You can also get information about the Position of the planets and there Magnitude or brightness.


Hunting Iridium Satellites is fun, too. Check out the list for your exact coordinates.

Here is the schedule for the seattle area.

THE FOLLOWING ISS SIGHTINGS ARE POSSIBLE FROM THR FEB 20 TO TUE MAR 04
SATELLITE LOCAL DURATION MAX ELEV APPROACH DEPARTURE
DATE/TIME (MIN) (DEG) (DEG-DIR) (DEG-DIR)

ISS Wed Feb 26/06:12 AM < 1 12 10 above SSE 12 above SSE
ISS Fri Feb 28/05:54 AM 2 22 10 above SSW 22 above SSE
ISS Sat Mar 01/04:58 AM 1 12 10 above SSE 12 above SE
ISS Sun Mar 02/05:36 AM 3 38 12 above SSW 37 above SE
ISS Mon Mar 03/04:42 AM < 1 21 21 above SSE 21 above SE
ISS Mon Mar 03/06:15 AM 4 76 10 above WSW 46 above NE
ISS Tue Mar 04/05:20 AM 2 65 28 above SW 53 above E


http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/SSapplications/Post/SightingData/Seattle.html

Gutz,

Thanks to you and Crabin for setting the record straight. It was nice for awhile to think that Jupiter was the ISS but it’s even better to know now where to look for it. Hope it’s not too cloudy from here on out to see it. Thanks again for the cool websites guys; who says this internet isn’t good for something?
Anyway since I know it’s not the wine, I suppose I could always blame it on the 60’s. But it’s probably just my cloud-filled, fog-enshrouded, rain-soaked Puget Sound naivete about the sky…….you know like those days when you see the sun and wonder what the heck that thing is. But even without the lame excuses, Jupiter, if that’s what it is, seems really bright. At least it’s not turning colors on me. Not yet anyway.

Also check out this site, you don't have to register. This site gives you all the info as to when the lab is flying over your city, and showes you a map where the space lab is currently.

www.spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/tracking/

I admit I am a total Astronomy Buff, have been my whole life.

Here are a few of my favorite sites on the web worth exploring:

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html
great archive of everything you can think of space related, Hi-res pics Hubble pics.


http://earth.jsc.nasa.gov/

on this link click on gateway to the earth.

While posting links, check this out about puget sound:

http://apps.ecy.wa.gov/shorephotos/index.html
Hi-res pics of all shoreline in wa state

All,

Very cool! There are some real astro-buffs here! Thanks Mooch.
Darin