Right on the money!
Aug. 9th, 2000 05:21 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alexpgpAgainst all sane judgment, I set the alarm for 4:30 am last night so as to be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for the ISS pass this morning. I got up, washed the sleep from my eyes, and then, equipping myself with a compass and a video camera, I went out to face the world.
It is gawdawful bright around here at night. I had intended to go over to the church parking lot, but it's bathed by several very strong lights, so I ended up out in front of my house, hoping that a 30 degree elevation would keep any passing space stations above the treeline. I needn't have worried. I also didn't need the compass.
I did happen to see another satellite pass while I was waiting, and then the battery of the camera died (this, after charging all night). The time for the pass came and passed by my wristwatch, and I was about ready to call it an evening when WHAM! I see this dot moving from north toward the east like a star on steroids.
It's the ISS, consisting today of a Node (a.k.a. "Unity"), the FGB ("Zarya"), and the Service Module ("Zvezda"), along with a Progress M1-3 cargo vehicle, which docked yesterday.
I follow it for a few minutes as it tears eastward and disappears out of sight.
Technology and science stand vindicated.
Cheers...
It is gawdawful bright around here at night. I had intended to go over to the church parking lot, but it's bathed by several very strong lights, so I ended up out in front of my house, hoping that a 30 degree elevation would keep any passing space stations above the treeline. I needn't have worried. I also didn't need the compass.
I did happen to see another satellite pass while I was waiting, and then the battery of the camera died (this, after charging all night). The time for the pass came and passed by my wristwatch, and I was about ready to call it an evening when WHAM! I see this dot moving from north toward the east like a star on steroids.
It's the ISS, consisting today of a Node (a.k.a. "Unity"), the FGB ("Zarya"), and the Service Module ("Zvezda"), along with a Progress M1-3 cargo vehicle, which docked yesterday.
I follow it for a few minutes as it tears eastward and disappears out of sight.
Technology and science stand vindicated.
Cheers...
