macpuzl
If it stays in its current orbit, the International Space Station will be making numerous visible evening passes through Santa Barbara’s skies for the rest of July. But, with the current drama caused by the Starliner capsule and the orbital debris from a disintegrating Russian satellite, its orbit may change.
I’ve only listed the very brightest evening apparitions, and it will also make some bright predawn visits, so to get the latest and most complete predictions, visit Heavens Above.
On Sunday, July 7, the ISS will rise in the WSW at 10:30 PM PDT, and travel from Corvus, into the handle of the Big Dipper, above Polaris, and set at 10:36 PM in the NE in Cassiopeia.
The brightest pass will start at 9:41 PM on Monday in the SW, from Corvus to Spica to the Keystone asterism in Hercules, and by Deneb, the tail of Cygnus, ending in the NE at 9:48 PM.
Tuesday’s pass will appear at 8:54 PM in the SSW below Corvus, pass through the head of Scorpius and along the body of Ophiuchus, across the Summer Triangle, and below Deneb, disappearing in the ENE at 9 PM.
On Wednesday, it will rise at 9:42 PM in the W, passing from near the Moon, through the neck of Ursa Major, below Polaris, and setting in the middle of Cassiopeia in the NNE at 9:48 PM.
Thursday’s pass will start in the WSW at 8:54 PM, from the tail of Leo, past the bowl/handle junction of the Big Dipper, and above Polaris to end in the NE at 9 PM.
The station will make numerous decent, but dimmer evening passes from July 12 through July 25.
On Friday, July 26, it will rise at 9:46 PM in the NW in the head of Ursa Major, go above Polaris, and vanish in our shadow near Deneb in the ENE at 9:49 PM.
Saturday’s pass will start at 8:57 PM in the NNW and pass across our mountain horizon from Lynx to Enif, the nose of Pegasus, in the E at 9:03 PM.
On Sunday, it will appear at 9:45 PM in the WNW in the head of Leo, go below orange Arcturus, and disappear in Earth’s shadow in Ophiuchus in the SSW at 9:49 PM.
Monday’s pass will be quite bright, starting in the NW at 8:56 PM, and passing along the length of the Big Dipper, through the Keystone of Hercules, and ending at the Capricornus/Sagittarius border in the SE at 9:02 PM.
The station will end this series on Wednesday, July 31, again rising at 8:56 PM, but in the WNW in the Sickle of Leo, passing by Spica in Virgo, and setting into the tail of Scorpius at 9:02 PM in the S.
Hasta nebula,
Chuck
