- Bright Satellite Alert -

See Satellites!
International Space Station (ISS)
Flyovers and Satellite Flashes

Week of September 7-12, 2007
As Seen by Eye from the Greater Cumberland Area
by Dr. Bob Doyle, FSU

• Flash - Friday, September 7th
  Shortly after 8:50 p.m., face North to see a very bright point slowly moving across the sky about one third of the way from horizon to top of sky. This very bright flash will last about 10-20 seconds before it fades from view. This light is a reflection off the solar panels of the Iridium 63 satellite and will outshine the brightest night stars.
  
  
• ISS - Saturday, September 8th
  At 6:23 a.m., look low in South for a moving point of light (ISS), peaking about 1/3 way up in Southeast at 6:25 a.m. and then fading and dropping as it moves into the East. At its brightest, the ISS will rival the brightest night stars then in view.
  
  
• Flash - Saturday, September 8th
  Very close to 8:44 p.m., face North to see a growing brilliant point slowly moving across the sky, about one third of the way from the horizon to the top of the sky. This brilliant flash will last about 10-20 seconds before it fades from view. This light is reflection of sunlight off the Solar panels of the Iridium 66 satellite; the light we see will be even brighter than Venus, the brightest planet seen in Earth's skies.
  
  
• Flash - Sunday, September 9th
  Very close to 8:38 p.m., face North to see a growing very bright point of light moving across the sky, about one third of the way from the horizon to the top of the sky. This brilliant flash will last about 10-20 seconds before it fades from view. This light is reflection of sunlight off the Solar panels of the Iridium 21 satellite; the light we see will outshine the brightest night stars.
  
  
• ISS - Monday, September 10th
  Just before 5:33 a.m., look low in the South for a moving point of light (ISS) that is moving up and to the left. In about a minute, the ISS will peak about a third of the way up in the Southeast and then begin to fade as it drops lower into the East. The ISS at its brightest will rival the brightest stars then seen.
  
  
• ISS - Tuesday, September 11th
  A little after 5:54 a.m., look low in the Southwest for a moving point of light (ISS) that will brighten as it climbs. By 5:56 a.m., the ISS will be nearly overhead and as bright as the planet Jupiter or Mars ever gets. The ISS will descend into the Northeast, fading as it drops.
  
  
• ISS - Wednesday, September 12th
  A little after 6:16 a.m., look low in the West for a moving point of light (ISS) that will brighten as it climbs towards the North (right). The ISS will peak about 6:18 a.m. about one third of the way up in the North Northwest. It will then begin to fade as it drops into the North Northeast.

Average Altitude of ISS = 211 mi., Orbits Earth every 91.4 min. 17,200 mi./hr

Iridium Satellites Altitude = 485 mi., 100 min. period, averaging 15,850 mi./hr