05-24-2017, 06:55 AM
maybe that 3rd satellite my husband and I saw during the last iridium flare viewing was the Chinese Space Stn you mentioned
mermaid,
There was a satellite and rocket body overhead about the same time as the last Iridium flare:
USA 267 - 20:15:49 - traveling NE to SSW
Helios 1B rocket - 20:28:06- traveling N to SSW
A little later at 20:38 the Tiangong 1, the first Chinese Space Station, would have also passed over quite low in the sky to the NW.
Tomorrow night (5/25) the Tiangong 2 Space Station will again be in our Puna sky at 7:18 PM, but difficult to spot. It will be very low in the NW sky for only about two minutes, at a dim 4.5 mag. The sky won't yet be completely dark in the west either, so you'll need exceptionally good eyesight or binoculars to find it.
mermaid,
There was a satellite and rocket body overhead about the same time as the last Iridium flare:
USA 267 - 20:15:49 - traveling NE to SSW
Helios 1B rocket - 20:28:06- traveling N to SSW
A little later at 20:38 the Tiangong 1, the first Chinese Space Station, would have also passed over quite low in the sky to the NW.
Tomorrow night (5/25) the Tiangong 2 Space Station will again be in our Puna sky at 7:18 PM, but difficult to spot. It will be very low in the NW sky for only about two minutes, at a dim 4.5 mag. The sky won't yet be completely dark in the west either, so you'll need exceptionally good eyesight or binoculars to find it.
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