Space Shuttle Visible Tonight

Storm 10 · 15-07-2009 4:27pm #1

The Space Shuttel Endeavour will be visible tonight if the scheduled launch due at 3 minutes past eleven Irish time goes ahead. it is due to pass over Ireland 18 minutes later and will be a very bright star moving very fast also visible will be the two external fuel tanks following behind the shuttle as they will have jettisoned from the Shuttle a few minutes earlier.

Watch the lift off on Sky News then out too the garden and pray for a fine clear night.

phill106 · 15-07-2009 4:30pm

Storm 10 wrote: »

The Space Shuttel Endeavour will be visible tonight if the scheduled launch due at 3 minutes past eleven Irish time goes ahead. it is due to pass over Ireland 18 minutes later and will be a very bright star moving very fast also visible will be the two external fuel tanks following behind the shuttle as they will have jettisoned from the Shuttle a few minutes earlier.

Watch the lift off on Sky News then out too the garden and pray for a fine clear night.

Cool, what direction should we be looking? and dont say up! n/s/e/w?
thanks

15-07-2009 5:11pm

phill106 wrote: »

Cool, what direction should we be looking? and dont say up! n/s/e/w?
thanks

i've guessing we look towards america?

cool.. if i remember, i'll try have a look

Storm 10 · 15-07-2009 5:12pm

I understand it will be visible to the South but if its a fine night you wont have any problem finding it as it will be so bright and fast.

Storm 10 · 15-07-2009 5:16pm

You can watch it live on NASA TV on the NET click on this link and you can follow all the action goes live around an hour before lift off.

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html

gary82 · 15-07-2009 6:14pm

Hopefully it'll launch now tonight. Had the tripod out ready on Monday but it was a late call-off. Great views of the ISS from Galway for the last couple of nights though. Lets hope the skies keep clear tonight.

Fracture · 15-07-2009 6:15pm

Wasnt this delayed from 2 days ago? im glad it was delayed, The weather wasnt good a few days back and there isnt much cloud in Donegal at the minute, hope it stays that was for tonight.

Sponge Bob · 15-07-2009 6:18pm

It will be visible tomorrow as well ( I think)

Track here

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/tracking/

The shuttle will close up on the ISS from behind and will dock tomorrow or friday so it should be visible following it .

Here are the ISS passes over Galway , the one at 22:30 tomorrow night looks like a gimme, it will be 60 degrees above the horizon, to the south , at 22:31 and the shuttle should follow shortly behind , both obvious to the naked eye outside Galway city but the ISS is the brightest object in the Sky and unlike Venus , it always moves right to left

. It will be quite low in the later pass around midnight and may be too dim to see.

15 Jul -2.5 00:50:31 10 W 00:53:11 32 SSW 00:53:11 32 SSW
15 Jul -3.1 23:39:39 10 W 23:42:31 50 SSW 23:44:38 16 ESE
16 Jul -1.0 01:15:13 10 WSW 01:16:04 14 WSW 01:16:04 14 WSW
16 Jul -3.2 22:28:51 10 W 22:31:46 63 S 22:34:41 10 ESE
17 Jul -2.4 00:04:04 10 W 00:06:44 31 SSW 00:07:34 26 S
17 Jul -3.0 22:53:10 10 W 22:56:00 49 SSW 22:58:53 10 ESE
18 Jul -1.4 00:28:46 10 WSW 00:30:30 17 SW 00:30:30 17 SW

dcukhunter · 15-07-2009 6:18pm

Saw these pictures a while ago. 5th one is the best I think but all stil nice shots. http://www.astrosurf.com/legault/atlantis_hst_transit.html

Storm 10 · 15-07-2009 6:57pm

NASA TV is live now astronauts are suiting up

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/

Here is another live link

http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts127/status.html

happyoutscan · 15-07-2009 7:12pm

Storm 10 wrote: »

NASA TV is live now astronauts are suiting up

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/

Here is another live link

http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts127/status.html

Thanks for those, just had a look. Kinda humbling watching those guys getting ready, they have some guts fair play to them.

robbie_998 · 15-07-2009 7:37pm

watching the live link and it looks like their ready to go ! already ?

Seaneh · 15-07-2009 7:55pm

I'm gonna sit int he middle of the park in the cladagh and watch it =D

cornbb · 15-07-2009 8:04pm

Seaneh wrote: »

I'm gonna sit int he middle of the park in the cladagh and watch it =D

That's an awesome idea, will it be ok from there do you think or would it be advisable to get out of town a little bit for the best view?

Seaneh · 15-07-2009 8:10pm

I'm thinking in the middle might be dark enough?

if not i might re consider and cycle further out but as of now, thats where ill be.

Might actually sit on the diving board in black rock...

so many little ideas...

gary82 · 15-07-2009 9:23pm

It won't need to be too dark as the shuttle will be much brighter than any stars. The ISS could be seen very clearly from Eyre Square last night.

gary82 · 15-07-2009 9:28pm

The ISS will be passing then at 11.43pm by the way.

MayoForSam · 15-07-2009 9:31pm

Just over 30 minutes to go before launch, weather is good, no technical problems and we have clear skies over Galway, will be soon just about dark enough. Should be a good show.

gary82 · 15-07-2009 9:36pm

A few heavy clouds rolling in, I hope they stay patchy at least....

Here's the best Live Nasa TV link I've found, open with Video LAN (best!), or Windows Media: http://www.nasa.gov/55644main_NASATV_Windows.asx

happyoutscan · 15-07-2009 9:46pm

I think they just said launch in 9 minutes and launching on the nasa link?

Seaneh · 15-07-2009 9:49pm

They are holding the count at 9 minutes is what they said.

ronnie3585 · 15-07-2009 9:50pm

Where exactly in the sky should we be looking? I know up, but will it be moving from west to east seen as it has blasted off from Florida?

happyoutscan · 15-07-2009 9:52pm

Seaneh wrote: »

They are holding the count at 9 minutes is what they said.

Oh right, thanks for that Seaneh. Was about to start climbing on the roof, can finish the tae now.

Seaneh · 15-07-2009 9:52pm

look sout-south/west.

ronnie3585 · 15-07-2009 9:54pm

NASA have confirmed that Thunderbirds are go.

A load of cloud has just rolled in over the city:mad:

cornbb · 15-07-2009 9:57pm

I'm heading down to the Mutton Island causeway now, hope to see something

Seaneh · 15-07-2009 9:59pm

see ya there!

Omnipresence · 15-07-2009 10:03pm

we're off

scull2009 · 15-07-2009 10:08pm

not bad watched it live. is it visible from co. derry?

Omnipresence · 15-07-2009 10:24pm

AWESOME ! :eek:

(Dublin)

PopeBuckfastXVI · 15-07-2009 10:24pm

Just saw it, incredible, thanks OP

happyoutscan · 15-07-2009 10:24pm

Seen it, amazing.

tom francy · 15-07-2009 10:24pm

just seen it in kildare wow it was amazine

ambasite · 15-07-2009 10:24pm

beautiful - what was the lesser light?

ronnie3585 · 15-07-2009 10:25pm

Got a glimpse of it through the clouds, freaking awesome here too.

Christ, it's moving seriously fast!

amy85 · 15-07-2009 10:25pm

just seen it...oh my god,was so class looking!!

Hotwheels · 15-07-2009 10:25pm

That was amazing sight...I wanna a spin in that

HoPpiE · 15-07-2009 10:26pm

That was pretty cool but only got a glimpse due to the fúcking clouds!!

Cheers OP.

Omnipresence · 15-07-2009 10:27pm

ambasite wrote: »

beautiful - what was the lesser light?

the detached booster

again AWESOME

gally · 15-07-2009 10:27pm

Been watching spacecraft since Sputnik in 1957-this was the most amazing of all,clear skies in Cork

maverick09 · 15-07-2009 10:27pm

That was seriously cool. I got a very poor pic. I will upload it if its anything decent.

Steyr · 15-07-2009 10:28pm

ambasite wrote: »

beautiful - what was the lesser light?

The lesser light below it was acuatlly the Orange external fuel tank that you see attached to her along with the twin tanks. That tank separated about 9 minutes into the flight.

BlackandGold · 15-07-2009 10:29pm

Just missed it. Forgot about it until now.

Gutted

ronnie3585 · 15-07-2009 10:30pm

Steyr wrote: »

The red light below it was acuatlly the Orange external fuel tank that you see attached to her along with the twin tanks.

Are you sure. TV footage on Sky showed this being jettisoned about 10 minutes before it passed over us.

Did anyone get a photo?

I desperately wanted to get one but I was genuinely gobsmacked when I saw it, spent too long staring and didn't get a proper shot!

Pinkshoes · 15-07-2009 10:32pm

Beautiful!

BlackandGold · 15-07-2009 10:33pm

Any video footage?

Thargor · 15-07-2009 10:33pm

How high in the sky was it, I didnt see anything from Wellpark

Would you say you were looking straight up at it? I was looking towards the southwest for a full 10 minutes at the right time but didnt see anything.

Steyr · 15-07-2009 10:35pm

ronnie3585 wrote: »

Are you sure. TV footage on Sky showed this being jettisoned about 10 minutes before it passed over us.

Positive it jettisoned but follows a flight path behind it while descending back to earth, they break up before impact usually in the Indian Ocean or the Pacific away from shipping lanes in an Area that is well cordoned off by miles.

HoPpiE · 15-07-2009 10:37pm

Thargor wrote: »

How high in the sky was it, I didnt see anything from Wellpark

Would you say you were looking straight up at it? I was looking towards the southwest for a full 10 minutes at the right time but didnt see anything.

I was looking Southwest but decided to change to Northwest just as it was passing over and saw it for a few seconds.

Seaneh · 15-07-2009 10:37pm

Thargor wrote: »

How high in the sky was it, I didnt see anything from Wellpark

Would you say you were looking straight up at it? I was looking towards the southwest for a full 10 minutes at the right time but didnt see anything.

it was more up than south, i was superised.

TristanPeter · 15-07-2009 10:37pm

Sh*t, missed it...because of Mr & Mrs Smith :eek: I was distracted by one of the best-worst films ever. Punishment in itself and I was determined not to miss it (the shuttle that is, not the film).

Space Shuttle Visible Tonight

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