How Visible Will ISS (Babylon) Be???
James Husnay Sr. (jhusnay@scsinet.com)
Mon, 21 Dec 1998 11:29:02 -0500
Since the question in a round about way has already risen, and now with
most of the talk and observational posts quieting over Mir, Zarya, the
STS and ISS, I'd like to go one step further by posing this question
regarding what the visibility of ISS/Babylon will be after completion.
If it reaches that phase.
It comes after reading the threads from 12/4, 12/5 and 12/8 and
partially quoted below as follows:.
Subject: - Endeavor up and in orbit - Date: Fri, 4 Dec 1998 - 00:54:03
-0800 (PST)
From: Beefkaker@aol.com
Beefaker wrote:
<I watched the Endeavour launch on CNN. The announcer closed the
commercial with "you
<will see it." Sounds like he was talking to us see-sat-l-ers
Then on Sat, 5 Dec 1998 06:27:52 -0800 (PST)
From: dk058@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Walter Nissen)
Walter Nissen wrote:
<When NASA Administrator Dan Goldin said that, he seemed to be talking
to
<everyone.
Then from the BBS -World thread of Tue, 8 Dec 1998 11:43:56 -0500
From: Hans Lawrenz
< Recently on the list there have been a number of messages
<about the lack of knowlege in the media about the visiblility of
satellites.
<So when the BBC-World news show had a story about the ISS I was
<not suprised when the host made a comment about how incredible it was
<that the ISS was so large that it would be visible.
When I began observational astronomy 5 years ago, I recall hearing,"if
it wasn't for the bright magnitude of Jupiter, the 4 moons of Jupiter
(Io, Ganymede etc.) would be visible naked eye. Without researching and
not knowing what the reflective magnitude is from Jupiter's moons I'll
assume this is absolute truth.
Now, if this is true and the brilliance of Jupiter's reflection
prevents this naked eye ability to see the moons. Will it be possible if
conditions are at their best, does anyone know if there is a chance we
would be able to see the ISS/Babylon's actual structure "Naked eye"?
And although it seemed meant for the moment, is it possible "You will
see it", meant they were referring to the possibility of seeing the
actual structure upon completion?????
Either way I'm sure its going to be nothing less than spectacular even
if it
were to be with a higher powerd binocular binoculars.