ISS, Tiangong, Satellites Over Puna

[TomK]

Just a reminder, keep an eye on Jupiter this evening between 20:09 and 20:10.

[mermaid53]

Clear skies down here on KP...will be out there looking...

[TomK]

Well, it was easy to spot, both before and after the flare. I got the impression, though, that the brightness prediction was a little off. The flare seemed much fainter than I expected. Would be interested if anyone in Keaau, Kurtistown or Hawaiian Acres saw it as it would have been much brighter in those places.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

Nice!
I was able to track it about 20-30 seconds before the flare, which peaked at about the same brightness as Jupiter from my vantage point in HPP. Then a 15 second fade...

On the fifth day - the scientists who studied the rivers - were forbidden to speak - or to study the rivers. -Jane Hirshfield's poem on creation

[mermaid53]

We were staring at Jupiter and saw the satellite as it passed, but no flare. Unbelievable to think there are people in that satellite. We spotted another satellite a few minutes later behind us. Thanks for the heads up Tom! Amazing night sky tonight!

[TomK]

Yep, the fade after the actual flare was due to it entering the Earth's shadow.

[TomK]

Mermaid, there are no people in Iridium satellites! You need to spot the ISS for that.

[mermaid53]

Miscommunication on my end on what we would be looking at :/ Thought it was supposed to be the ISS...a manned satellite so to speak, and the flare. You and HOTPE saw the flare so why didn't we if we were staring right at Jupiter?

[TomK]

Mermaid - did you see it getting brighter as it passed Jupiter? That was the flare. It just wasn't as bright as I expected.

[mermaid53]

Yes! It was very bright near Jupiter and seemed to fade into the rest of the stars quickly after as it moved away from Jupiter. That was the flare? I think we were expecting it would appear more like a sudden spark of light for a few seconds.