Vanity: I just saw the space station!

Sky ^ | 07/04/11 | Self

[Yaelle]

Those sky lanterns are wild looking. I have only seen them in videos or on TV.

[StayoutdaBushesWay]

There is an iPhone app. type in ISS Tracker.

[doorgunner69]

That sucker has an unbelievable setup, to capture that resolution, in that low light, all the while tracking a fast moving orbital object.

And no, no ISS for us in Hawaii tonight, wrong lat-lon.

[El Gato]

It's pretty big, and has large flat solar panels.

[doorgunner69]

Yeah, well, fearless leader has decided the NASA budget is better spent on urban issues...........Glad you enjoyed it while it was happening.

[SIDENET]

I just saw the space station!

In Russia, Space Station sees YOU.

[going hot]

Sounds easy, right?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THNPmhBl-8I

[raygun]

I'm telling you I was flippin' I had just replied to the thread, and something catches my attention out of the corner of my eye.

And there I'm watching what looks like a plane that's on fire on a ballistic trajectory, right? And so I look back to the monitor and back out the window. Back to the monitor and back out the window.

WTF?

That's weird.

SO I jump up and peer out the window at this thing. Now I can tell what it is, the hot-air ballon being clearly visible. Oh, I know what that is!!!! so I scamper outside and watch it go up up and away.

Candle balloon

[hoagy62]

And on Friday of this week, those people are going to do it one more time...for the LAST time.

I think I am going to cry when the last one goes up.

[raygun]

ISS sighting opportunities

Its worth checking out when its visible in your area.

[Future Snake Eater]

Well, that’s no moon, so it’s GOT to be a space station...

[Gene Eric]

I think we saw it last night on a NW to SE trajectory over the Northeast. Whatever it was, it passed quickly during a sunset blue sky; no contrail.

[Palter]

Heavens-Above

Heavens Above is a great site that you can track anything. Just enter your location lat/long. You find that with Google Earth or use a large city close by. Then, you can check when things will be coming over your house. Anything that can be seen with the naked eye, they will show.

Good stuff.

[Hatteras]

"It is impressive to watch the ISS orbit past with the shuttle nearby as the shuttle approaches or disconnects from the ISS..."

I saw that same thing two flights ago. If I held my hand up to them as they raced across the sky, they were about a thumb's width apart. Something pretty magical about that sight in this old guy's young heart. ;-)

[GoDuke]

What he said. :)

[NCC-1701]

I’ve seen the ISS a few times. What was cool was seein MIr and the Shuttle pass over. I saw Mir and I believe it was Atlantis after it undocked. I watched the post undocking press conference and at the end of it, Frank Culbertson, then the head of the US side of the Shuttle-Mir program said they would pass over Houston at whatever time it was. I live in Memphis and looked at the orbital track and was going to pass over me on that pass. So, about three minutes after passing over Houston, they came ove. Two brilliant points of light flying in high-speed formation. Couldn’t miss them. Saw them horizon to horizon. Really pretty.

[Conan the Librarian]

You can see it most nights if you look. Even in the big Cities.

Goto www.spaceweather.com, click at the top of the page on “Flybys” and put in your Zip Code.

It will give you a list of things you might see if it’s clear and you have a view of the sky.

ISS is big and most times VERY bright.

[Yaelle]

I’m not even sure they are allowed here because Ive never seen them. I’ve heard they are beautiful at funerals.

[raygun]

I don't think that there is any ban on them by a state because onlinefireworks.com puts them in the 'ships to all states' category. I would think the guys there would know the laws, so the only thing I can think of would be city restrictions....

Heres the link:

http://www.onlinefireworks.com/shipstoallstates.aspx

I know Sky Lanterns are currently being produced in different colors, but I'm unsure whether they make different shapes, like they had back in the early days? They used to have pigs, cows, birds, all kinds of things. Some of them were difficult to inflate, but I understand they were quite a sight once you got them off the ground. A glowing, flying pig going over a large city is certainly going to make the papers.

In any case, it would depend on whether you live in a state where everything is prohibited by default and only those things expressly allowed are legal, or vice-versa. Colorado's traffic laws are the former, e.g., no left turns allowed unless explicitely permitted by signeage; parking disallowed unless explicitely permitted. In ND

The term fireworks means any combustible or explosive composition, or any substance or combination of substances or article prepared for the purpose of producing a visible or an audible effect by combustion, explosion, deflagration, or detonation. The term includes any blank cartridge, toy pistol, toy cannon, toy cane, or toy gun in which an explosive other than a toy paper cap is used; balloon that requires fire underneath to propel the balloon; firecracker, torpedo, skyrocket, Roman candle, daygo bomb, sparkler, or other item of like construction; item containing any explosive or flammable compound; or any tablet or other device containing any explosive substance. This section does not apply to any toy paper cap containing not more than twenty-five hundredths of a grain [16.20 milligrams] of explosive composition per cap.

It will also describe things that fit into fireworks. If it fits in the description and it is not specifically outlawed then you should be good. ND is just very specific. By the way, ND law says shells can only be 40g.

This is an responsible adult toy and not to be casually trifled with.

In order to launch one properly, several steps are necessary for a proper and safe launch. They should only be launched on virtually windless days. It would be prudent that prior to launching, create a dense smoke puff and observe how the plume interacts with local wind currents; the plume should rise at least 50' with little lateral motion.

One must ensure that the thing fully inflates prior to release in order for it to quickly gain altitude and clear nearby obstacles. Most people don't take the time to launch them right, they think the sooner they send them up the longer they will get to see it in the air; that is not a good thing. It takes a good minute or two of the waxed paper burning to properly launch it... i'd guess that proper launches would happen rarely outside of this forum.

1. Ensure that the wind is very light - 7 miles per hour or below is suitable for launching Sky Lanterns of all sizes.
2. Only launch Sky Lanterns in a large clear space away from trees, powerlines and buildings. Do not use Sky Lanterns within 5 miles of an airport.
3. If there is a slight breeze, ensure that when launched, your sky lanterns do not fly towards buildings, trees, airports, roads or any area they may pose a danger.
4. Ensure that all spectators stand upwind of the people launching the Sky Lanterns.
5. It is advisable to have a bucket of water or some sand close by in case of emergency.
6. Sky Lanterns are not a toy. Sky Lanterns should only be launched by a responsible Adult.
7. Do not use during prolonged periods of dry weather.
8. Do not launch torn or damaged Sky Lanterns.
9. Do not Launch Sky Lanterns if the glow could be misinterpreted as a distress signal.
10. Read all safety instructions carefully before launching Sky Lanterns.