International Space Station for August

Source: Chuck McPartlin, ISS

The International Space Station is back for some early August Santa Barbara appearances. To get the latest predictions, visit Heavens Above.

On Monday, August 7, the ISS will rise in the NNW at 9:54 PM, and pass low over our mountain horizon to disappear in the NNE at 9:56 PM, entering Earth’s shadow just as it reaches the bent W of Cassiopeia.

The first pass on Tuesday will rise in the N at 9:02 PM, and cruise low across the mountains to set in the ENE at 9:05 PM. It will pop up briefly again at 10:37 PM in the NW, vanishing at 10:38 PM after a short climb.

On Wednesday we will get a bright pass that begins at 9:45 PM in the NW, passes the bowl of the Big Dipper and crosses the handle of the Little Dipper to fade away just above the North Star, Polaris, at 9:47 PM. Notice that Polaris isn’t all that bright, but it shows you true North, and its altitude gives you your latitude.

Thursday will have a bright pass rising at 8:53 PM in the NNW, and vanishing in the ENE at 8:57 PM, just as it reaches the chest of Pegasus. It will pop up again at 10:29 PM in the WNW, and disappear at 10:30 PM in the W, just below the bright orange star Arcturus.

On Friday, August 11, the ISS will rise at 9:37 PM in the WNW, sail brightly past Arcturus, and fade away in the WSW as it reaches Serpens Caput at 9:40 PM.

The best and brightest pass of this series will coincide with the monthly Star Party at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, rising at 8:44 PM in the NW, going by the bowl of the Big Dipper, along the length of Draco, across the Summer Triangle, and disappearing in the ESE at 8:49 PM, just above the dim triangle of Capricornus, the Big Bikini Bottom of autumn.

Sunday’s pass will rise at 9:29 PM in the W, pass low above Jupiter, and fade away in the head of Scorpius in the SW at 9:32 PM.

The station will rise in the WNW at 8:36 PM on Monday, and pass higher, between Scorpius and Saturn, to disappear in the SSE in Sagittarius at 8:42 PM.

No pass will be visible on Tuesday, and the final pass of this series will happen on Wednesday, August 16, appearing at 8:28 PM in the W, cruising low through Leo, below Jupiter and Spica, and setting beneath the stinger of Scorpius in the S at 8:32 PM.

Hasta nebula!