Heavens-Above (star charts, satellites, etc)

[RichardM]

Ever wonder what's overhead while out in Big Bend?  Check out Heavens-Above which has links configured for Sky Charts and some satellites like the International Space Station.  You can specify the coordinates for wherever you're going to be (preceding links are set to the Chisos Basin).

[Joe]

You can also check out the Big Bend Astronomical Society at  http://users.wirelessfrontier.net/~bbastro/  and of course McDonald Observatory at  http://mcdonaldobservatory.org/

[RichardM]

For those of you without any GPS toys, a quick way to figure out your coordinates is to go to http://maps.google.com/ and enter your address.  If you move the map just a tiny bit (left-click & drag) and click on the "Link to this page", the resulting URL should have your coordinates.

Anybody know any faster ways to find coordinates without a GPS?

[BigBendHiker]

For those of you without any GPS toys, a quick way to figure out your coordinates is to go to http://maps.google.com/ and enter your address.  If you move the map just a tiny bit (left-click & drag) and click on the "Link to this page", the resulting URL should have your coordinates.

Anybody know any faster ways to find coordinates without a GPS?

Just tried it.  This is so cool!!! :D  :D

[RichardM]

Ok, here's some generic links to ISS pass info.  If the magnitude is less than zero, then the space station should be pretty easy to spot, weather permitting.  If it's above zero you might have to squint a bit.  If your town isn't listed, go find your coordinates and swap them out from one of the URLs below.  The loc variable doesn't do anything except put a label on the page.  Note also that all of these are for Central Standard Time (I think it auto-corrects for Daylight Saving Time).

Chisos Basin
Canyon Lake
Austin
Corpus Christi
Piedras Negras
Houston
San Antonio
Dallas
Victoria
Beaumont
Nacogdoches
Lufkin
Minneapolis
Alpine
Ft. Davis (McDonald Observatory)
Guadalupe Peak
Kingfisher, OK
Bryan/College Station
The Woodlands
Carlsbad, NM
Huntsville, AL
Dimmitt, TX
Kuwait
Linden, VA
Nixa, MO
Sauceda Ranch House, BBRSP

[jamesb]

when I want to shoot (with my camera) a satellite or the ISS and shuttle or what ever, I will use the heavens-above site as well as a star map program to determine its exact sky location so I can make sure my camera is pointed at the right part of the sky. this also helps to frame up the shot to minimize cropping

James

[jeffblaylock]

Here's what they looked like from Austin:



The International Space Station is the upper streak; the shuttle Endeavour is the lower one. That's Orion to the right, with Eridanus below it. Canis Major is to the left of the shuttle's path. The orange patches are not the northern lights (I wish!) but fast-moving low clouds. The silhouettes are my budding pecan trees.

[Goldilocks]

Jeff, you got it!  Great picture! 

[Al]

Outstanding!  What was the f/stop?  Exposure time, my guess about 2 minutes . . .

Al

[jeffblaylock]

Canon Digital Rebel XTi, 20mm Canon lens (effective 36mm), 25 sec. at f/6.3, ISO 400.

[Vince T]

I watched that last night...very neat.
I missed the first thing go by, which evidently was the "Jules Verne" supply station of some kind?
I haven't looked it up at all...but a friend told me he saw it and heard it was explained as the Jules Verne on the news...

Great picture Jeff.

[RichardM]

I watched that last night...very neat.
I missed the first thing go by, which evidently was the "Jules Verne" supply station of some kind?
I haven't looked it up at all...but a friend told me he saw it and heard it was explained as the Jules Verne on the news...

Great picture Jeff.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automated_Transfer_Vehicle

[jssmith57]

I was able to observe this event last night as well from Dickinson (Just south of Houston).  The neatest thing was I was able to show this to my entire Boy Scout troop following our regular meeting.  They were all very excited when they saw the ATV come over followed by the ISS and Shuttle.  Great picture Jeff!  From our vantage point in Dickinson, the paths of the spacecrafts were just to the right of Orion's belt.

[RichardM]

Well, here's what my Canon A720IS captured tonight with a 15 second exposure. That's the tail of the Big Dipper in the lower right.



Looks like I could use some darker skies (preferably in Big Bend or at least away from Houston) and a more stable tripod (or maybe I should remember to not move around on the wooden deck while the shutter's open). The Exif info says f/2.8 and ISO 200. I had it set on a 2 second delay.

Here's one from a minute or so before:

[homerboy2u]

Cool...i heve been following this thread, since the beggining and i look forward to more exposures.