ISS over UAE - 9-13, 23 Jun 2019

[Gaurav]

Watch the International Space Station (ISS) as it passes over the UAE!

The Space Station’s next visible pass over the UAE from June 9-13 and then on 23 June.

We can meet behind Qudra desert to spot almost a pitch dark sky to enjoy the ISS.

Put your names below, if you like to meet today - All cars, SUV, 4x4 are welcome.

1. Date: Sun Jun 9, 7:43 PM
   Visible: 5 min
   Max Height: 35°
   Appears: 14° above NNW
   Disappears: 13° above ESE
    
2. Date: Mon Jun 10, 8:31 PM
   Visible: 3 min
   Max Height: 22°
   Appears: 16° above W
   Disappears: 18° above SSW
    
3. Date: Tue Jun 11, 7:42 PM
   Visible: 4 min
   Max Height: 51°
   Appears: 39° above W
   Disappears: 10° above SSE
    
4. Date: Thu Jun 13, 7:40 PM
   Visible: 3 min
   Max Height: 13°
   Appears: 12° above WSW
   Disappears: 10° above SSW
    
5. Date: Sun Jun 23, 4:50 AM
   Visible: 3 min
   Max Height: 14°
   Appears: 10° above SSE
   Disappears: 12° above ESE

 

 

[Frederic]

I am in for tonight  

[Frederic]

Was able to see the ISS for the full cycle. The SkyView app helped a bit in finding the right spot. Tested my daughter’s beginners telescope in the meantime and took some snaps from the moon. Jupiter or others was impossible because the thing is not stable enough. 

 

Edited June 10, 2019 by Frederic

[Gaurav]

Wow, lucky you. I spotted two high altitude moving objects, must be Airbus without the blinker fluid.

I should have got the app too, to position myself than circling all around with twisted neck in the humid evening.

[desertdude]

I've been interested in buying a telescope for sometime now, mostly to observe Jupiter and Saturn and it's rings with my own eyes. 

But I want to start out with something cheap and for beginners just to see if its something Ill be interested in as a hobby. 

Problem is cheap telescopes are quite shitty and mostly toys for small kids or pretty expensive. There doesnt seem to be an middle path.

Been looking online for used ones too. But still no luck

[Emmanuel]

I found a very useful website where you can find accurate daily timetables, coordinates, degrees, skymaps and all the informations you need to watch satellites, planets and stars : https://www.heavens-above.com/?lat=25.0265&lng=55.656&loc=Unnamed&alt=0&tz=UAEST

Sorry, I should have sent it to you before... 

 

16 minutes ago, desertdude said:

I've been interested in buying a telescope for sometime now, mostly to observe Jupiter and Saturn and it's rings with my own eyes. 

But I want to start out with something cheap and for beginners just to see if its something Ill be interested in as a hobby. 

Problem is cheap telescopes are quite shitty and mostly toys for small kids or pretty expensive. There doesnt seem to be an middle path.

Been looking online for used ones too. But still no luck

With a very simple telescope, and even with binoculars, you can see many nice things 

[desertdude]

56 minutes ago, Emmanuel said:

I found a very useful website where you can find accurate daily timetables, coordinates, degrees, skymaps and all the informations you need to watch satellites, planets and stars : https://www.heavens-above.com/?lat=25.0265&lng=55.656&loc=Unnamed&alt=0&tz=UAEST

Sorry, I should have sent it to you before... 

 

With a very simple telescope, and even with binoculars, you can see many nice things 

Yeah I looked into that but one is never going to get a decent view of our outer planets. And That's basically what I want to do. 

For that you really need to have a semi decent telescope. Anyways Ill keep hunting.

 

[treks]

11 minutes ago, desertdude said:

Yeah I looked into that but one is never going to get a decent view of our outer planets. And That's basically what I want to do. 

For that you really need to have a semi decent telescope. Anyways Ill keep hunting.

 

I'm an advanced-level amateur astronomer in my other life. Give me a shout if you want advice/tips about small telescopes.

[desertdude]

2 hours ago, treks said:

I'm an advanced-level amateur astronomer in my other life. Give me a shout if you want advice/tips about small telescopes.

Yeah sure. Ever since I found out it was possible to see the outer planets clearly without huge observatory type 10' telescopes and the release of the deep space hubble image ( which I have downloaded at full resolution and have my mind blown) I've been really interested in astronomy.

Ok let me start with what's the smallest telescope with I can see the rings of Saturn. I'm not hoping to see the cassini division with it but rings would be nice.

[treks]

OK, the smallest instruments that would give you decent views of the ring system fall into the 150mm aperture range, but the type of views you ultimately get depends entirely on your budget. 

For instance, refractors are best for planetary viewing since they (mostly) eliminate chromatic aberration, but these are also the most expensive scopes. You could get a much cheaper Dobsonian reflector which gives decent planetary views, is easily transportable and easy to use because you don't need to to polar align, but the downside is that Dobsonians are prone to suffering from heat currents in the tube, which distorts views.

Moreover, the bigger you go on aperture, the more heat currents and other atmospheric disturbances are magnified, so you may have to install small extractor fans in the tube to get even halfway-decent views immediately after sunset or in the early evening until the desert cools down a bit. 

All things considered, my advice would be to join one of the many astronomy clubs in the UAE on an outing before you decide on what to buy. Clubs are always glad to show newcomers the ropes, and besides, they will know where to get the best scopes at the best prices. Buying an expensive scope at this point could be a costly mistake.

Edited June 11, 2019 by treks