macpuzl
Assuming we get some more clear weather, the International Space Station will be making visible passes through Santa Barbara’s evening skies. Its orbit may change, so to get the latest and most complete predictions, or predawn appearances, visit Heavens Above.
On Friday, January 12, the ISS will pop up in the SW at 7:04 PM PST, and climb up toward Deneb Kaitos, the tail of Cetus, where it will vanish into our shadow at 7:05 PM.
On Saturday, the station will rise at 6:15 PM in the SSW in Phoenix, cruise through dim Eridanus, the River, then across Orion from his foot Rigel to his shoulder, the red supergiant Betelgeuse, before fading away in the E at 6:19 PM.
Sunday’s pass will start at 7:03 PM in Aquarius near setting Saturn in the WSW, go by Enif, the nose of Pegasus, then vanish in dim Lacerta at 7:06 PM, just above Cygnus the Swan in the NW, now diving into the horizon.
We’ll get the best and brightest pass on Monday, rising in the SW at 6:14 PM near Saturn, then sailing high overhead across the Great Square of Pegasus, past the bent W of Cassiopeia, and winking out in dim Lynx in the NE at 6:19 PM.
On Tuesday, the ISS will show up in the WNW at 7:04 PM, skimming below Pegasus, across the neck of Cygnus, and into Draco in the NNW, disappearing at 7:06 PM.
Wednesday’s pass will be a lower but longer copy of Tuesday’s, starting at 6:14 PM in the W, and extending to cross the bowl of the Little Dipper asterism and vanish in the bowl of the Big Dipper asterism low in the NNE at 6:19 PM.
No pass on Thursday, but on Friday it will again follow a similar path, even lower, beginning at 6:15 PM in the NW, and ending in the N at 6:18 PM.
The ISS will return to our evening skies on January 28.
Hasta nebula – Chuck
Macpzl – love these posts on the Sky from you… makes us all look UP and AWAY from the tiny screens in our hands.
I think watching the ISS is pretty amazing. I’ve seen it a few times thanks to your – “Heads Up. ✨
To know what you’re looking at moving in the sky was not possible when I was a kid. It’s very trippy. Thanks!
Mo-leta – Thanks! Too bad more people don’t look up and realize how small and petty the majority of our problems are in the big scheme of things.