Comments on: Track Satellites on the Web http://cogdogblog.com/2008/06/27/track-satellites-on-the-web/ Alan Levine's blog space for barking about instructional technology Fri, 05 Dec 2008 09:05:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Bernie Dodge http://cogdogblog.com/2008/06/27/track-satellites-on-the-web/#comment-55714 Bernie Dodge Fri, 27 Jun 2008 23:05:05 +0000 http://cogdogblog.com/2008/06/27/track-satellites-on-the-web/#comment-55714 Nice complement to the standard site, http://www.heavens-above.com/. I check it regularly and it's a family tradition for us to sit out in the back yard when ISS flies over. There's an interesting hobby/obsession wrapped around this that I wish I had time for (and your clear Arizona skies.) See http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/05/science/space/05spotters.html and http://www.wired.com/culture/art/news/2008/06/secret_satellites. Nice complement to the standard site, http://www.heavens-above.com/. I check it regularly and it’s a family tradition for us to sit out in the back yard when ISS flies over. There’s an interesting hobby/obsession wrapped around this that I wish I had time for (and your clear Arizona skies.) See http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/05/science/space/05spotters.html and http://www.wired.com/culture/art/news/2008/06/secret_satellites.

]]> By: John Larkin http://cogdogblog.com/2008/06/27/track-satellites-on-the-web/#comment-55713 John Larkin Fri, 27 Jun 2008 22:59:01 +0000 http://cogdogblog.com/2008/06/27/track-satellites-on-the-web/#comment-55713 Ahhh... that always fascinated me as a child. Still does. Just a couple of weeks ago, about 6.20 one morning, as the recent space shuttle returned to earth we had a great view here as the large white object that is the ISS and the space shuttle, close by, arced across the sky. The shuttle had just separated and began its orbit back down to earth. Interesting to see the two dots moving across the sky, together, so evenly. I am not sure if it is true but if the ISS gets any bigger we may be able to discern it more clearly with the naked eye. One evening I grabbed a couple of beers, took our Japanese home-stay student Ryuiji out to the deck by the pool and said we are going to look for satellites. The best time is an hour or so after sunset. Ryuji did not believe me. Anyway, we drank our beers, stared at the sky for a while and then Ryuiji spotted the first satellite. He was quite excited as the twon where he lives in Japan suffers from light pollution. Thanks for bringing back those memories Alan, Cheers John Ahhh… that always fascinated me as a child. Still does. Just a couple of weeks ago, about 6.20 one morning, as the recent space shuttle returned to earth we had a great view here as the large white object that is the ISS and the space shuttle, close by, arced across the sky. The shuttle had just separated and began its orbit back down to earth. Interesting to see the two dots moving across the sky, together, so evenly. I am not sure if it is true but if the ISS gets any bigger we may be able to discern it more clearly with the naked eye.

One evening I grabbed a couple of beers, took our Japanese home-stay student Ryuiji out to the deck by the pool and said we are going to look for satellites. The best time is an hour or so after sunset. Ryuji did not believe me. Anyway, we drank our beers, stared at the sky for a while and then Ryuiji spotted the first satellite. He was quite excited as the twon where he lives in Japan suffers from light pollution.

Thanks for bringing back those memories Alan,

Cheers

John

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