The Space Shuttle Endeavor and the International Space Station visible July 27-30
Southern and central Arizona can witness three spectacular passes overhead of the Space Shuttle Endeavor and the International Space Station for a few brief minutes on the evenings of Monday July 27, Tuesday July 28 and Wednesday July 29, 2009. A lower pass on July 30 might also be visible. Both spacecraft are now undocked as of July 28. ISS, will appear by far the brighter of the two and will trail Shuttle Endeavor. Both will be unmistakably visible as a two bright, moving white star like objects at the following times (July 28-30).
(Monday July 27, 2009 pass info deleted)
On Tuesday July 28 ISS and the Space Shuttle will have a much lower pass in the southwestern sky than on July 29. Both should first be visible over 10 degrees above the western horizon (and near the planet Saturn in our sky) at 8:48 p.m. MST, moving highest in the southwest (but only 20 degrees in altitude) just after at 8:49 p.m., and fading out below the crescent Moon at 8:50 p.m. ISS will shine at a brightness of magnitude -1.2 or brighter than any star in the sky while the Shuttle will appear fainter at a brightness of magnitude -0.8 . Other parts of the state can also witness this pass, within a few minutes of 8:48-8:50 p.m. Click here for a sky chart.
On Wednesday July 29 ISS will trail the Space Shuttle by 2-3 minutes but follow the same path in our sky. ISS should first be visible over 10 degrees in the northwestern sky at 7:36 p.m. MST moving to overhead (87 degrees in altitude, almost directly overhead) at 7:39 p.m. and fading out in the southeast just before 7:43 p.m., near the Teapot of Sagittarius. Shuttle Endeavor will pass 2-3 minutes before these times. ISS will shine at a brightness of magnitude -3.3 or brighter than any star in the sky while Shuttle Endeavor will appear fainter at a brightness of magnitude -1.2. Other parts of the state can also witness this pass, within a few minutes of 7:36-7:39 p.m. Click here for a sky chart.
On Thursday July 30 ISS will trail the Space Shuttle by 6-7 minutes but follow a nearly similar path in our sky. ISS should first be visible over 10 degrees above the western horizon (and near the planet Saturn in our sky) at 8:01 p.m. MST, moving highest in the southwest (but only 19 degrees in altitude) just after at 8:03 p.m., and fading out below the Moon after 8:06 p.m. Shuttle Endeavor will pass slightly higher in the sky 6-7 minutes before these times. ISS will shine at a brightness of magnitude -1.0 or brighter than any star in the sky while Shuttle Endeavor will appear fainter at a brightness of magnitude +0.7. Other parts of the state can also witness this pass, within a few minutes of these times. Click here for a sky chart for ISS.
These times may change slightly due to mission changes (large changes unlikely at this time) and are most valid for areas of southern and south-central Arizona near the Tucson and Phoenix metro areas. Observers should look within a few minutes of times given here. Go to heavens-above.com for updated pass data and to find out if the shuttle is visible other areas of the United States and world. Heavens-above.com and many other astronomy and space related Web links may be found on the Flandrau astronomy links Web page.