[AZ-Observing] Another Shuttle and ISS pass tonight (06/20)

Dunno how accurate this is, but Heavens Above is predicting another pass of 
the pair tonight.

They should both climb higher than last night, which was predicted to be 
only 11 degrees, and they should be brighter too.

This pass information is for the STS-117 orbiter, as seen from my location 
in Litchfield Park, and it is predicted to be mag -0.1.

STARTS
20 Jun   21:24:34
Altitude 10 deg
Azimuth NNW


MAX. ALTITUDE
20 Jun   21:27:10
Altitude 31 deg
Azimuth NE


ENDS
20 Jun   21:27:17
Altitude 31 deg
Azimuth NE

The ISS prediction is exactly the same as above, except just 1 second later 
in all three cases, and mag 0.4 (0.5 mag DIMMER than the orbiter).

I plan to track this pass in my scope tonight... if they truly are close 
together, they might both fit in the same field.


Regarding last nights pass...

I believe the leading, and brighter, object was actually the orbiter, and 
the dimmer, trailing one, was the ISS.  I know, I was surprised by this same 
thing last year during one of these tandem passes too.

This jives with Heavens Above's mag predictions from last night (orbiter at 
mag 2.1, and ISS at mag 2.6), and tonight as well.  Additionally, Heavens 
Above DID predict the orbiter would be leading...  To me they appeared 
approximately "one finger width apart" with my arm outstretched.

Definitely cool, and thanks for the heads up on these passes Tom.

Neville

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