[Dave Hancox]

How To Find Space Station, Satellites, Iridium flares, Comets and Night Sky Map

If you ever look up at the night sky and see a faint object moving through the sky or want to see the ISS Space station or see if any comets are visible or just want to find a star in the night sky. Heavens Above is the site for you i use it regularly and find it works well.

Night View From Loch Doon

Click Below For Heavens Above

To find your location to customise Heavens Above to your Location click below.

Iridium Flare Capture

Please post any captures you get in the Space weather Forum.

[cirrus]

Another one here which is user friendly...........http://www.n2yo.com/

[Andy Mayhew]

Good thread [y] I always use Heavens Above

Also worth downloading Stellerium so you can see where the stars and planets are :)

http://www.stellarium.org/

[scrapemedic]

How accurate is Heavens above for Iridium flares? I thought that as it was a nice night and warm enough to sit out side for a while, and that I didn't have to think about getting up tomorrow morning that I would go look for iridium flares and the ISS. so I checked on Heavens above for some times and it had an Iridium flare at 20.52 mag -7 centred four miles to my west. So I sat out for a while with the camera and after ten minutes past the time I had seen nothing. so I went back to Heavens above and looked up the time for the ISS which was rising at 21.42 and setting at 21.53 (or there abouts) and again went out ans sat down with the camera to watch it. 21.42 came and went, but I know that sometimes I can't see it till a few minutes after it rises, so as I was watching I was surprised to see at 21.45 what looked like the Irdium flare that I should have seen an over an hour ago flash across the sky, Very bright with a tinge of yellow followed not long after by the ISS.
Though I swung the camera round and snapped a shot, it was set up to capture the best picture of the ISS and not a wide shot of the sky to catch a flare, so not surprisingly I didn't capture it.
So I checked back on HA and made sure it wasn't the Nanosail. but couldn't find the flare that would match that time. The ISS flew over on schedule, so I presume all the times listed for both the ISS and flares are given as local time. I just can't work out why I never get to see flares except when I am not expecting them.

[Dave Hancox]

Having a look on the HA site they say sometimes a satellites position can change and this can put the timing out. I know the last Solar storm had affected some satellites but couldn't say that was the cause. They also say that you should be in 1km of the coordinates you enter to be accurate. As for time it is adjusted automatically for you coordinates including BST changes. In the past i have chosen ones that are visible for a while before the flare so i can make camera adjustment. The link with Earthtools is great for getting coordinates for your position. Hope this helps.

[scrapemedic]

It does somewhat Dave, but I noted two thing just now reading the frequently asked questions. Firstly is I have been looking in the wrong direction. The path over the ground isnt the actual path it takes over the earth but the path of where you need ot be to see the flare at its brightest. the Azimuth is the direstion you need to actually look. Do'h.

Secondly they say that some satellites have failed to remain in the correct orbti and they are unpredictable so not listed. so I presume that the one I did see was one of these failed satellites.

I am going to try again with my new knowledge and see if I can get it right this time.

[Bazmundo]

I've just been looking up those details Liz, and think I may have found the problem. I punched in your location as Brent, near enough, and made sure the time zone (+1) was accurate. When I clicked onto the Iridium and ISS pages, the text above the schedule says all times are CET (UTC+2) - I've gnashed my teeth before with H-A for this reason, and tend to check off the ISS times with Spaceweather.com flybys. Dunno if that may help?

[scrapemedic]

The text on mine says its British summer time GMT +1. You can set your timezone in the profile settings page Glyn.

[Bazmundo]

Ah yes, I did that a bit backwards when changing location. Not sure what the problem is, unless it's faulty. I found Iridium 31 (which is the one that was predicted for you), it's just flying out over the East Siberian Sea as I type: http://www.n2yo.com/?s=24950 This site has predicted tracks, but not archives, if you click "Iridium" under "Popular Categories". The location and time are automatically detected from your IP unless you join up to change them.

[PaulKn]

If you've got an iPhone, the excellent, and free app, Sputnik, is worth getting. I've seen several Iridium flares over the last few nights, a jump of about 500% for me in just 3 nights!

Also, it tracks the ISS beautifully.

[Bluebreezer54]

^^^ Ref the Night Sky and apps, I have just been upgraded to an HTC Desire S and have loaded the free android Google Sky Map app. Very pleased with it, both the phone and the app !!

[Les]

Heavens Above is the bees knees for everything satellite and more besides.
This image of Iridium 23 taken in 2008 with a Pentax K100D 6mp and a Hoya 300mm telephoto close to the leaping figure Delphinus The Dolphin.
Regards Les,

Attached thumbnail(s)

• 

This post has been edited by Les: 06 November 2012 - 15:53

[Richie]

Nice capture, Delphinus has come out well.
I agree, can't beat the Heavens Above webite.