Stargazing Child-like pleasure in seeing ISS and detached Dragon capsule

[UsableThought]

Last time I looked at the stars for fun must have been when I was 6 or 7 or 8 years old - who knows. Somewhere I learned about the Big Dipper - whether from a parent or from passing through Grand Central Station - but not much more. Very recently I have realized that although I live in a rural-suburban area (lots of light pollution from a nearby small city), and so won't get particularly dark skies, there are still some enjoyable things to see. I'm at the "birding binoculars and a couple of beginner books" stage - augmented by iPad apps.

One thing I'd love to see is the Earth's shadow - and not just see it, but know what it is. Unfortunately where I am we don't have a good horizon view; however, reading about the shadow led me to reading also about visible ISS passes. The iPad apps and web pages make it easy to get notice of these. I had a good opportunity today with 42° max elevation just before dawn; it was a small but enjoyable thrill to see what I had read about.

What was really neat was that I saw it had a companion traveling with it, roughly 1° apart (pinkie finger width) and not nearly so bright. I looked online and this must have been the http://www.spacex.com/dragon sent up by SpaceX with supplies awhile ago; it had been detached ~45 min. earlier & moved away from the station w/ thrusters, prior to the SpaceX controllers sending it into its "de-orbit burn." Link to post on ISS blog: https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2017/09/17/dragon-released-carrying-science-and-gear-back-to-earth/

And here's a pic of what I saw, only from the ISS point of view:

 

[phinds]

One thing I'd love to see is the Earth's shadow - and not just see it, but know what it is.

? Every time you look at the moon, you see the Earth's shadow (except on the one day per 28 when there's a full moon)

 

[UsableThought]

? Every time you look at the moon, you see the Earth's shadow (except on the one day per 28 when there's a full moon)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth%27s_shadow

 

[phinds]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth's_shadow

Ah Ha. A different "Earth's shadow"

 

[Stavros Kiri]

My child memories go back to Columbia Space shuttle (when e.g. during its first mission I called a 900 number or something to hear the live on board communications (open NASA line, for the first time I think)). It was a lot of fun! It's dead now! (since 2003)

 

[Stavros Kiri]

Last time I looked at the stars for fun must have been when I was 6 or 7 or 8 years old - who knows.

Interesting alignments and occultations these days (Sept. 18-20), ideal for child and adult "early bird" observations, starting this morning (some parts of the world can still catch it! ...), tomorrow and wed (Sept. 20).
See:
https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/space-and-stuff.879196/page-19#post-5843621

 

[TeethWhitener]

? Every time you look at the moon, you see the Earth's shadow (except on the one day per 28 when there's a full moon)

The only time you see the Earth's shadow on the moon is during a lunar eclipse. The dark portion of the moon when it isn't full is the moon's shadow (I.e., lunar night), and the faint glow therein is Earth'shine: light reflected off the earth.

 

[phinds]

The only time you see the Earth's shadow on the moon is during a lunar eclipse. The dark portion of the moon when it isn't full is the moon's shadow (I.e., lunar night), and the faint glow therein is Earth'shine: light reflected off the earth.

AAARRRGGG ! Nuts. I hate it when I'm stupid. Thanks though.