Astronomy Picture of the Day

NASA ^ | 6/4/08 | Jürgen Michelberger

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Chasing the ISS
Credit & Copyright: Jürgen Michelberger

Explanation: Bathed in sunlight, the International Space Station (ISS) arced through the evening sky above the town of Lauffen in southern Germany on May 31st. The timing of the bright passage was about 10 minutes after the launch of the Space Shuttle Discovery on the STS-124 mission from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, in the southeastern US. Of course, Discovery was headed toward an orbital rendezvous with the ISS. In chasing after the space station, the shuttle also made a pass over Lauffen just 21 minutes after launch. With a camera fixed to a tripod, astronomer Jürgen Michelberger recorded both magnificent machines streaking overhead in two different time exposures, each about 2 minutes long, and merged them in this composite view. Parallax causes the paths of the ISS (right) and Discovery (near center) to seem to diverge as they were at very different altitudes. Stars (and bright planets) leave two, separated, short trails. The brief, flaring track of an Iridium satellite and faint dotted trail of a passing airplane are also visible. A close inspection will reveal a dim reddish track, the jettisoned external fuel tank, just left of Discovery. Placing your cursor over the picture should help identify some of the features.

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[1rudeboy]

LOL--He captured an Iridium satellite! I'll never forget the Financial Times reporter who wrote (paraphrase): "Well, at least Motorola executives can watch their investment fall back to Earth." LOL

[Toddsterpatriot]

F...ing Iridium. Still pisses me off.

[1rudeboy]

That was weird. I went to post the following comment, and I somehow posted my first comment again.

We used to cheer ourselves up at the bar by asking, "so, where did Iridium close today?" I didn't mind because I was taking a beating on Globalstar.

[Toddsterpatriot]

The need to launch the useless Iridium satellites is what led to the Chinese getting better MIRV technology.

[1rudeboy]

I think it was Loral/Globalstar. It might've been both. All I know is that I had to dump my Loral stock (which I bought on good faith, not knowing the Bernie Schwartz is a traitor).

I recall having some Globalstar stock as well, but my memory is fuzzy of those days. I remember losing 50% of my Loral investment (if I had hung on it would've been worse). That's math I can understand. My broker did worse, he lost his license without admitting or denying guilt for an unrelated matter around the same time. I should look him up and see what he's up to now.

[Toddsterpatriot]

I think it was Loral launching Iridium. Never followed Globalstar.

I should look him up and see what he's up to now.

LOL!

[1rudeboy]

What can I say? My dad and his dad are friends, and his younger brother was a drinking buddy in the wild days. I was with him at (heck, what was the name of that Art-Deco martini bar on Wells--Hudson's?) when he met his wife.

Such friendships are not dissolved by such a trivial matter as a SEC investigation.