Small Scopes

Satellite Gazing

USA Today has a story on satellite gazing:

"People are surprised," says Pinizzotto. "They ask, 'What night can I see a satellite?' No, it's 'How many satellites can I see on any given night?' "

Pinizzotto logged 40 one summer evening from a lawn chair in Maine. The dean of science and engineering at Merrimack College here, he's also an avid satellite observer, one in a subset of skygazers who like their astronomy with an earthbound twist.

Part bird-watchers, part train-spotters, these people know their star charts. But they are as likely to rhapsodize about a sighting of the International Space Station, XM Radio's geostationary duo (dubbed "Rock" and "Roll"), or an iridium flare (a flash of reflected sunlight from a communications satellite) as they are to gush about a glimpse of Saturn's rings.

This game is as old as Sputnik, and it can often be played from any dark spot with the unaided eye. (Warning: It's hard to stop.) But participants' skills have improved along with sky-tracking software and good, inexpensive telescopes and mounts.

I've tried to do this informally for years, sky permitting. The most common thing people say is "Are you sure that's not an airplane?" Well, no I'm not sure, not always...

posted by Tako John @ 5:40 PM