Two ISS Passes today

by Jane Houston Jones

I saw the ISS pass early this morning . At 4:19 a.m. (11:19 UT) the ISS made a spectacular pass from WNW to SE near Mars, just while I was sketching the planet. It was much brighter than Mars. Mars was flanked by setting Capricornus on the west at the time, and a bright streak of ISS-light on the east. My sketch of Mars from this morning is here: http://www.whiteoaks.com/sketches/72203.html

Then when I verified last nights flyby, I discovered ISS would again rise tonight at 8:48 p.m from SW to NE passing nearly overhead at 8:53 p.m. We took our evening beveridge and pre-dinner snack out on the back deck and waited. Soon we saw Arcturus, and then Spica. Between the two stars, the ISS rose. We had to walk to the other deck to see the ISS set to the NE at 8:58 p.m.

Then we turned our attention to Jupiter and took a look for Mercury. Didn't see Mercury before and Jupiter set soon afterwards.