(meteorobs) ISS and Shuttle seen from lower Westchester, NY

JBortle at aol.com JBortle at aol.com
Tue Dec 19 22:39:40 EST 2006


Hi Joe,

Like you, I was able to witness the Shuttle/ISS passage at 6PM, noting some 
interesting details.

Accompanied by one of my granddaughters, I spotted the ISS just after it rose 
above the SW horizon. Looking like an orangish 1st magnitude star, it was 
clearly single in appearance both with the naked eye and 10x50 binoculars. As it 
rose higher into Aql it became more golden in hue, seemingly varying slowly 
somewhat in brightness but remained unquestionably singular.

As it crossed the boundary between Aql and Cyg I at first suspected and then 
clearly saw a minute stellar companion to the bright star with the binoculars. 
Both were now quite white in coloration and the companion rapidly grew in 
brightness until it equaled the ISS. 

By the time the pair passed from Cyg into Cep I could clearly see them as 
distinctly separate but still a very closely paired set of brilliant (-1?) 
blue-white stars with the unaided eye and they formed a most extraordinary double 
star as seen with the binoculars.

As they moved off toward the NE soon after passing their point of maximum 
elevation the pair began to fade and rather quickly entered the Earth's shadow.

Regards - John



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