ISS to Eclipse Jupiter

MasterLock writes "If you are in the Eastern US take a moment tonight (13 May 2004) around 9:30 PM EDT to step outside and watch an eclipse of Jupiter by the International Space Station. Details at NASA."

Jerry Bruckheimer version

[Anonymous Coward]

I, for one, look forward to the sky lighting up and hearing the deafening blast from the collision of the ISS and Jupiter.

RTFA

[Anonymous Coward]

The article says

Although Jupiter and the space station will seem close together, they're really far apart. Jupiter is 753 million km from Earth this week, while the space station is in Earth orbit, only about 400 km above you.

Which makes you wonder what kind of moronic questions NASA routinely gets.

Re:RTFA

[Anonymous Coward]

So during the eclipse, is the space station swallowing Jupiter or are they just running into each other?
When will the space station hit the moon?

Re:RTFA

[Mattcelt]

This may seem obvious to you, but to an 8-year-old, it's a legitimate question, you insensitive clod!

It's all relative - there are things you don't understand that we laugh at you for, too.

Like this, for instance.

Cool

[krymsin01]

This would be cool if the forcast wasn't calling for it to be completely overcast tonight where I live. Thanks a lot, damn sky!

Observing the ISS.

[jabberjaw]

Looking at the ISS video from the article, I find it amazing that one can get such a good observation of the ISS with "ordinary" (read somewhat expensive but still in the realm of the obtainable) telescopes. That brings me to the question, do any real or amateur astronomers care to share what equipment they will be using to view the eclipse?

Re:Observing the ISS.

[Otter]

That brings me to the question, do any real or amateur astronomers care to share what equipment they will be using to view the eclipse?

In my case, it will be an indignantly protesting wife and the free binoculars she got at a conference a few years ago. Results will probably not be worthy of publication, except as a movie on the Lifetime network after she kills me and then tells the jury about my dragging her out of bed to watch the Leonid showers two winters ago.

Re:Observing the ISS.

[Asprin]

I'm not trying to be disrespectful, but are you sure your using your wife correctly? Mine stayed out with me for about three hours watching the same Leonid show -- she loved it and now we watch skystuff whenever we get the chance! (She thinks it's vewwwwy womantic!)

Maybe it's time to call tech support [tripod.com] about it?

I know what you mean about the binoculars, though. (sigh)

Re:Observing the ISS.

[isorox]

In my case, it will be an indignantly protesting wife...
--
Anyone who hooks up through Slashdot Personals -- you **MUST** post about it! Karma be damned!

I'm guessing you didn't then, jealous or something?

Darn

[richie2000]

If I had still worked for TenFour, there is a non-zero chance that I would have been able to get near the path of totality (it looks like it's close to Chantilly, VA)... But now, I'll be thousands of miles away. :-(

Re:Darn

[(trb001)]

I actually live inbetween Centreville and Chantilly (20120), and this line looks like it's about a 30-60 minutes drive west of me. Still, should be a good, albeit brief, show tonight.

--trb

Delaware Water Gap is on the eclipse path

[njchick]

It looks like the line passes over Delaware Water Gap [nps.gov]. There are three observation areas along route 80 on the New Jersey side - two on the westbound side, one on the eastbound side. They close after dusk officially, but I had no problems observing the last lunar eclipse from one of those areas. It slightly over an hour drive from NYC.

Saw it!

[njchick]

I was at the "scenic overlook" closest to the Gap. Jupiter was straight overhead. When the ISS was near Jupiter, it was almost as bright, definitely brighter than all stars. Its color was very clean white, more like Venus than the yellowish Jupiter. The station passed about one degree (two Moon diameters) to the south-west of Jupiter.

Actually, I was more interested in seeing the station than the eclipse, and it was worth is. I'm really impressed, especially by the fact that the ISS was built by people

Just saw it!

[brownpau]

Just watched it pass by from the National Mall in DC. Unfortunately the clouds were obscuring Jupiter, but the station itself emerged from behind them and zoomed straight overhead. Very nice.

Saw the eclipse. Woo-hoo!

[rpresser]

My wife and I travelled about 90 minutes to Lancaster, PA. (Specifically, we were here [terraserver-usa.com].) We walked in the little park in front of the building, looked up at Jupiter, and suddenly the ISS was about two degrees away from Jupiter and moving fast. Didn't have time to get the binoculars up, but I distinctly saw the two bright dots merge and separate. I think I was definitely in the path of totality, or at most no more than a quarter mile outside of it. ISS was the brightest damn thing in the sky. My binoculars couldn't make any details clear, still looked like a bright dot.

Since my birthday is tomorrow, I feel like the universe just gave me a birthday present.

Re:Saw the eclipse. Woo-hoo!

[rpresser]

Actually, if the moon is half a degree wide, then it was a lot closer than two degrees when I first spotted it. Maybe like 0.2 degrees.

See also http://iss-transit.SourceForge.net

[xof]

There is a prediction program on source-forge : http://iss-transit.sourceforge.net/ [sourceforge.net]

You can even subscribe [sourceforge.net] to e-mail transit alerts.