Space shuttle docked right over Canberra, Australia this morning

From: Bill Frost (billfrost@bigpond.com)
Date: Mon Jun 11 2007 - 01:17:08 EDT

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    Thanks to an alert from Kevin and Robert I got up at 5:30 local time (1930
    UTC) and went out into the -1 degree Celsius cold just in time to get a
    perfect naked eye observation of an especially bright ISS. A large band of
    cloud just held off long enough and I was able to track it for just under 5
    minutes both visually and with 8 x 40 binoculars.
    
    HA predicted a 1.1 magnitude for the ISS alone but I thought it was closer
    to zero or minus 1. Given that at its maximum altitude (1936 UTC) the
    docking manouevre has just completed, this might account for why it seemed
    so bright.
    
    A really nice sight to see it crossing just below the Moon and Mars at
    maximum altitude, 657 km from my location (HA).
     
    
    -----Original Message-----
    From: Robert Holdsworth [mailto:robbonz1@xtra.co.nz] 
    Sent: Tuesday, 5 June 2007 7:36 PM
    To: Seesat List
    Subject: Re: Space shuttle near ISS for Australia on June 10 (and New
    Zealand too)
    
    I wasn't going to post to the list on the good opportunities we have until 
    the shuttle was launched, in case it is delayed, but seeing the subject has 
    come up:
    
    For Sydney, assuming no manoeuvres and no delays the pass is from 1934 to 
    1941 UTC.  We also have that pass here commencing 1937 UTC and ending 1946, 
    though that may be a little late for good visibility. At only half an hour 
    or so before docking they should be very close and moving into final docking
    
    position.
    
    The previous pass at 1802 is more  promising for us in terms of visibility.
    
    Also of interest is that undocking is scheduled for 1616 UTC on 17 June. and
    
    we have a pass at 1835, though at this location it will not be good pass 
    with a maximum elevation of 11 degrees so I am only likely to catch a 
    glimpse.
    
    I will review this if launch is delayed.
    
    Here's hoping for clear skies!
    
    
    Robert
    Wainuiomata
    New Zealand
    174.948E
    41.261S
    
    
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: "Kevin Fetter" <kfetter@yahoo.com>
    To: <seesat-l@satobs.org>
    Sent: Tuesday, June 05, 2007 1:25 AM
    Subject: Space shuttle near ISS for Australia on June 10
    
    
    > So far at 23:28 UTC on June 8, the space shuttle is scheduled to liftoff.
    >
    > Docking time according to spaceflight now is 20:19 UTC ( June 10 )
    >
    > The iss makes a 48 degree high pass at around 19:37 UTC ( June 10 ) as 
    > seen from Sydney
    >
    > Not sure how close to each other they will be, but you should get to see 
    > them together, in the
    > sky.
    >
    > Enjoy the show.
    >
    > Kevin
    >
    >
    >      Ask a question on any topic and get answers from real people. Go to 
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