Sightings
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Above: The lighter blue area is where the Space Station can be seen from the ground.
Left: Patrick Meyer, author of JPASS, and its sister program JTRACK, describes the program and how to use it. Click on the image to view a RealVideo movie. (Go to RealNetworks for a free player, if you need it.)
December 3: Mars Polar Lander nears touchdown December 2: What next, Leonids? November 30: Polar Lander Mission Overview November 30: Learning how to make a clean sweep in space |
The trick to identifying these satellites is knowing exactly when and where to look. Using NASA's Liftoff to Space Exploration web site, you can find out which satellites will be passing over your hometown.
All the lonely objects, where do they all come from?
Accessing J-Pass only requires a recent version of either Netscape Navigator or Microsoft's Internet Explorer. J-Pass gives satellite rise and set times for your location, and indicates the part of the satellite pass that will be visible. The chart even includes positions of visible planets and bright stars. Sky charts can be printed out to be used as an outdoor reference guide. For viewers without a Java ready browser, the Liftoff site also has a mailing list system. By subscribing to the list, viewers will be notified by e-mail of upcoming satellite passes.
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J-Pass 2.0 -- from Liftoff to Space Exploration
J-Pass E-Mail Generator -- from Liftoff to Space Exploration
Satellite Situation Report -- from Liftoff to Space Exploration
NORAD - Source of satellite tracking data
Orbital Information Group - NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
German Space Operations Centre -- Satellite viewing site
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Author: Patrick Meyer
Curator: Bryan Walls
NASA Official: John M. Horack