Space exploration is one of my many interests, and the subject of one of my talks. This interest started due to e2v, my last employer, making the imaging devices used on major space exploration programmes, including Hubble and GAIA.
One thing I will never tire of looking at is the ISS. Many don’t believe that you can see it with the naked eye, but you can. It looks like a bright star moving across the sky at the speed of an aeroplane.
All you need to do is register on the NASA site (it won’t SPAM you) here: http://spotthestation.nasa.gov/
It wil then send you an email with details of when the ISS can be seen over your location. Tonight on the Chelmsford ‘route’ we will be seeing the ISS at 8:11pm :
Time: Thu Apr 09 8:11 PM, Visible: 4 min, Max Height: 43 degrees,
Appears: SSW, Disappears: E
It is then back at 9:45 having circled the world in about an hour and a half.
It is quite something to see this bright light streaking across the night sky. Then you have to appreciate that it is a space station travelling at 17,150 miles an hour, moving from day to night every 45 minutes or so, and the home to astronauts from around the world. Where Americans and Russians can work side by side away from the politicians. Amazing.