Sight the International Space Station Over Adelaide
Watch the International Space Station pass overhead from our very own Adelaide!
The space station is the third brightest object in the sky and easy to spot if you know when to look up. Visible to the naked eye, it looks like a fast-moving plane only much higher and travelling thousands of miles an hour faster! Get the kids to come outside to view such an amazing phenomenon.
What does it look like?
The space station looks like an airplane or a very bright star moving across the sky, except it doesn’t have flashing lights or change direction. It will also be moving considerably faster than a typical airplane (airplanes generally fly at about 600 miles per hour; the space station flies at 17,500 miles per hour). You can look at a time-lapse photo of the space station moving across the sky below.
How to spot the station:
The following dates and times are when you will be able to see the station over Adelaide:
- “Time” is when the sighting opportunity will begin in your local time zone. All sightings will occur within a few hours before or after sunrise or sunset. This is the optimum viewing period as the sun reflects off the space station and contrasts against the darker sky.
- “Visible” is the maximum time period the space station is visible before crossing back below the horizon.
- “Max Height” is measured in degrees (also known as elevation). It represents the height of the space station from the horizon in the night sky. The horizon is at zero degrees, and directly overhead is ninety degrees. If you hold your fist at arm’s length and place your fist resting on the horizon, the top will be about 10 degrees.
- “Appears” is the location in the sky where the station will be visible first. This value, like maximum height, also is measured in degrees from the horizon. The letters represent compass directions — N is north, WNW is west by northwest, and so on.
- “Disappears” represents where in the night sky the International Space Station will leave your field of view.
Live videos of astronauts on the space station:
The International Space Station regularly adds livestreams of the space station, along with many other interesting videos about the station.
Visit it HERE to check it out!
For more information and all enquiries please visit the NASA website.
What: Sight the International Space Station Over Adelaide
When: May 2019 | See dates and times above
Where: Adelaide
Who: Everyone
At Play & Go Adelaide we make every effort to provide accurate information to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. We recommend confirming times, dates and details directly before making any plans as details may be subject to change.
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Image sources: NASA ISS sightings website
