Niaja Stringfield

Professor Eric Scheidly

PHYS 131: Survey of the Universe

7 July 2018

ISS Observation

(Boy, I hope I pasted the correct chart.)

The above chart represents the passage of the ISS on Sunday, July 8 th, 2018. Per the Heavens
Above website, the satellite is best observed in the hours just before sunrise or after sunrise, but these
visible hours extend the whole night through during the summer months. According to the data
corresponding with said chart, the ISS will reach its highest altitude (14°) at 4:52 AM Eastern Standard
Time, approximately one hour before the sun will rise over the East Coast. Bearing these things in mind,
I would try to get to an area with as little light pollution and as much sky visibility as possible- that is, one
without too many trees to obscure my vision. Luckily, the South Jersey area is largely rural, and
deforestation for urban development has afforded us many vacant, dark land plots to choose from. The
path illustrated on the chart dictates that the moon should not pose any issues since it and the ISS will
not cross paths, and I should train my focus on Ursa Major and Corona Borealis in order to spot the
satellite. It will drop below the visible horizon at approximately 4:54 AM EST.