How to Find the International Space Station in Your Area

Randy,

I thank you for your response. I do appreciate the help everyone in this thread has been to me. You read already my response to JJ, so you know I have a Bahtinov mask on it's way to my home. When it gets here I will be out trying to focus on distant stars when it is a clear sky night!

Thank you for your insight and knowledge of using a Bahtinov mask.

The easiest way to use the star map is go out on a nice clear night with chart in hand. Spread out a blanket and lay down. Use a easily identifiable constellation like the big dipper and orient the star chart so it matches the orientation of the big dipper. You can go from there identifying other bright stars. Another option is to load up SkyMaps on your phone and use it.

Your pass looks like there are two decent opportunities, one when it passes over Polaris as it looks as if it's going right over it. and the second is when it passes Lyra. Lyra should be easy to find as its bright.

Inspeqtor wrote in post #18981535
Hi JJ,

Sorry this took me so long to get back here. I have a log-in for Heavens-above and also Spot the Station, and also ISS Transit Finder with my home location picked out for each one.

For Heavens Above, as I mentioned before in this thread I do not understand how to use the map shown below for Jan. 5th for my home location. I do not know the star locations shown on the map, other than I believe the North Star (Polaris) is where I have the arrow, correct?

I am close enough to the city that a lot of stars are blocked out by the city lights.

I did not know I could click ahead on the dates.... yes I had seen the "arrows" but never clicked on them before now. That is cool!

Yesterday I did order a Bahtinov mask that should be here in a few days.

Thank you!

Hosted photo: posted by Inspeqtor in
./showthread.php?p=189​81535&i=i218109043
forum: Astronomy & Celestial

Let me explain how to use this map easily . Print this map off with your printer . Go outside and stand facing due south using your compass . Now hold the map high up above your head with the top of the map pointing north . When you actually look at the map this way you’ll see how the stars line up and you’ll see how the path of of the ISS is traveling the ISS is traveling the direction of the arrow on the path .

Now another way is download the map , open it with PS or PSE or Light Room . Now go to edit , image rotate and flip the map left to right and print it off . Take the map out side and face Polaris (North) . Now hold the map up and see the exact path of the ISS . While facing North you know the ISS will come from the NW and fly right by Polaris . Does this make since to you ?

gjl711 wrote in post #18981554
The easiest way to use the star map is go out on a nice clear night with chart in hand. Spread out a blanket and lay down. Use a easily identifiable constellation like the big dipper and orient the star chart so it matches the orientation of the big dipper. You can go from there identifying other bright stars. Another option is to load up SkyMaps on your phone and use it.

Your pass looks like there are two decent opportunities, one when it passes over Polaris as it looks as if it's going right over it. and the second is when it passes Lyra. Lyra should be easy to find as its bright.

I just downloaded Sky Map. Thank you!

Celestron wrote in post #18981579
Let me explain how to use this map easily . Print this map off with your printer . Go outside and stand facing due south using your compass . Now hold the map high up above your head with the top of the map pointing north . When you actually look at the map this way you’ll see how the stars line up and you’ll see how the path of of the ISS is traveling the ISS is traveling the direction of the arrow on the path .

Now another way is download the map , open it with PS or PSE or Light Room . Now go to edit , image rotate and flip the map left to right and print it off . Take the map out side and face Polaris (North) . Now hold the map up and see the exact path of the ISS . While facing North you know the ISS will come from the NW and fly right by Polaris . Does this make since to you ?

Celestron,

No it does not make since to me, but it does make cents to me.... errr oh maybe it makes sense to me!

Just having fun with ya! Every now and then I also make a typo!!!!

Thank you, that was really a very big help!