International Space Station visible again

[DanFmDorking]

The International Space Station is visible again from Fri 15th for the next 10 evenings.
Tonight should be particularly good as it's for 6 minutes

Fri May 15, 10:50 PM - 6 min - rising from the SW

Try these various links and/or select your own location.
NASA page for London

ISS - Visible Passes 10 day predictions for London

ISS Interactive 3D Visualization

NASA ISS Live Stream - Earth From Space
This one is quite interesting because if 'LIVE NOW' is at the top left it's LIVE. Otherwise, as the Space Station goes into night every 45 mins, the video stream is unavailable. During this time, and other breaks in transmission, recorded footage is shown. When it's back in daylight the live stream should start again.

Let's hope for clear skies - Good Luck!

@LaurieSchafferIsAllBitterNow thanks!!!

@DanFmDorking I am using the app so as Laurie confirmed its on gmt not bst.

@DanFmDorking thank you ! Will try however quite cloudy here I'm afraid

Thank you! 10.53 I'll be out there!

30 minutes to go.
Let's hope for clear skies.

Not sure I've seen it before but going to give it a go tonight. Good luck everyone hope it's not too cloudy!

Too cloudy here will try again tomorrow.

Whoop! Just seen it!

I saw it but clouds for in the way a little but it was clear with naked eye for a brief second made out the panels sticking out wohooooooo

Oh wow

DH and I were up really late the other night looking at the stars and smoking and something went over really bright and we couldn't work out what it was. Not a plane, too high, no lights. It came from the West ish and went over fast, looking like it was getting further away.

We were flummoxed. I vetoed his idea it was a musk satellite. I googled after and nothing!

I think we must have seen this by accident! Amazing. Thanks op!

Just googled video, yes it was! Awesome

Too cloudy for me - saw nothing

@thecatfromjapan - well done

@IlikeSardines - Yep, that was it!

Cloudy here too. Had my specs at the ready and everything but to no avail.

Saw it clearly thanks. Will look again tonight.

Well done @laughingnow
It's due twice tonight -
Fri May 22, 10:05pm, 6 min, rising from W
Fri May 22, 11:42pm, 5 min, rising from W

Good luck for clear skies

Had another look tonight. No luck, wasn't cloudy, but it's still very light out, maybe that makes it less visible too.

Thanks for the timings. Thought I wouldn't be able to see it as the sky here is still quite light but it was bright enough to spot. Also saw some bats flying around - bonus.

I’m pretty sure we saw it on Wednesday - we’re in cheshire. DH said “that’s a satellite!” and made the kids come and watch! But then we couldn’t see anything online (although we were a bit pissed!)

How come it flies over twice in an hour and a half then not again until the next night? Where does it go in between? Am I just being thick or what? Doesn't it just keep going round and round?

I saw it tonight again - it’s much easier easier when you know what you’re looking for. So bright, steady and fast. I’m hooked now!

Nothing for me - too cloudy I'm afraid.

Are you near Dorking? I’m 15 miles away!

Tea for Tara

It goes round in the same plane in space (inclined at 51.6 degrees to the equator) and the Earth rotates underneath it. The orbital period is around 90 minutes during which time the Earth rotates by 22.9 degrees of longitude. So when there are two passes, on the first we are to the west of the orbital plane and on the second we are to the east of it. By the time of the next 'pass' we've gone too far east for it to be visible.

This is short term. In the longer term there is a repeating pattern of around 63 days which is why viewing opportunities come and go. The ISS passes over the UK nearly every day, but most of the time does so during the day or during the night. It is only visible shortly after sunset or before dawn when due to the curvature of the earth it is still in sunlight while the ground is dark.

There are some astronomy photography nuts who specialise in taking pictures of it as it crosses the face of the sun or moon.

TeaForTara - Each orbit of the ISS is slightly different.
If you look at this ISS ground tracking map you will see that the next orbit is ‘shifted along a bit’.
So it does ‘keep going round and round’.

We only see it a) just after sunset and b) just before sunrise because it's then that the sun reflects of its’ solar panels.

This is another ground tracking map.

Also, have a look at this site to see either all or visible only ISS passes.

I hope this is somewhat helpful.

Thank you both; the explanations help a lot.

Due this evening at -
Sat May 23, 10:54pm, 6 min, rising from W
Clouds forecast for me I'm afraid