Opportunities to see the Space Station Fly Over

[bountyhunter]

If the skies are clear, you have good opportunities to see the Space Station on Dec. 23, 24 and 26. Just go outside a little before the indicated time, scan the sky in the direction of the path (i.e. from SSW to ENE on the 23rd), and watch for a bright moving star to appear that wasn't there before. You can follow it move across the sky until it disappears from sight.

Thursday, Dec. 23, 6:06 p.m. (Duration: four minutes)
Path: 15 degrees above SSW to 15 degrees above ENE
Maximum elevation: 37 degrees

Friday, Dec. 24, 6:33 p.m. (Duration: three minutes)
Path: 26 degrees above W to 18 degrees above NNE
Maximum elevation: 35 degrees

Sunday, Dec. 26, 5:51 p.m. (Duration: three minutes)
Path: 23 degrees above WNW to 16 degrees above N
Maximum elevation: 29 degrees

You can search for more opportunities in the Houston area or other cities via this link:
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/cities/view.cgi?country=U...

Enjoy!

[Oleander Kayaker]

Thanks, good info!

In addition there is a site called Heavens Above (link below) that tracks a multitude of satellites.

http://www.heavens-above.com/

Other amateur radio operators on this list may be aware that there is a radio repeater on the ISS (by ARISS) that allows communication through the ISS to other land based radio operators. I've connected through it (and monitored it) several times. The connection time and low pass connections are enhanced, while on the island, since there is less ground clutter at the horizon (trees and buildings).

I use a handheld antenna constructed of aluminum arrow shafts to communicate with the ISS and other satellites, which is connected to a handheld amateur UHF/VHF radio.

http://www.arrowantennas.com/arrowii/146-437.html