Spot the faux santa in the skies

[aernethril]

In precisely 20 mins you may get a glimpse of the ISS going across the skies - only lasts for 3 mins as it's shifting at a fair rate.

The International Space Station will be visible in the sky with the naked eye on Christmas Eve in Britain.

Residents of southern England will get the best view of the man-made satellite, which looks like a small ball of light moving across the sky when viewed from earth.

It will cross the sky at about 5.20pm and be visible for about three minutes.

In London, people should look at 35 degrees from the horizon and look to the west. People further north should look at a slightly lower angle.

A spokesman for the Met Office said: “The space station will be passing over – and it might look like santa’s sleigh.”

[ed_blackadder_1]

Wicked. I shall be looking. Thank you.

[aernethril]

Well, I think I saw it - but it was travelling the opposite way to what I thought it would go.

[ed_blackadder_1]

Nope big bloomin cloud in the way.
Nice try though.

By the way santa is on his way he is in Russia at the moment according to NORAD.

[ilove2patch]

Missed it.:(

[peteryola]

Patch, you can see it tomorrow and Boxing Day as well as long as the weather co-operates.

http://www.heavens-above.com/PassSummary.aspx?satid=25544&lat=51.330&lng=-0.270&loc=Epsom&alt=62&tz=...

These predictions are for Epsom, but you can change it to your own exact location.

[ilove2patch]

Thanks for that info Peter. I will look out tomorrow at five past six.:)

[ed_blackadder_1]

We saw it, my was it moving fast.
Thanks for telling us.

I was coming back with the dogs and ran indoors yelling I see it I see it.

What a day.

[peteryola]

While you're in the site I linked, check out the Iridium Flares; they are very localised so it is essential that you set the site to your own location first but when you run the predictions, the bigger the minus number the better.  One showing -4 will be as bright as Venus, one showing -5 will be 6.25 times brighter still.  If you find a -8 or a -9 predicted and the sky is clear - drop whatever you are doing and watch for it.  It'll only last 5 - 10 seconds, but it will be absolutely stunning...

Make sure you know the directions and elevations before you look.  There is nothing worse than missing one because a tree or a neighbouring roof is in the way.