Starmen

Tonight I saw the International Space Station go overhead for the first time (knowingly). I’ve seen satellites before (though not often in recent years, oddly – used to see them all the time when I was younger), but this was the first time I’ve known exactly what satellite I was looking at. Until seeing this image and others like it I didn’t really realise we could see the ISS, although it’s obvious we should be able to. Also I was really taken with Cmdr. Chris Hadfield’s version of Space Oddity, so I found out about Spot the Station – you can sign up to be emailed by NASA when the ISS is due to go overhead. It goes overhead most nights but sometimes very low (i.e. near the horizon and obscured by housing) and/or very late (3-4am). Tonight it went over almost directly overhead, and at only 00.21. Dad and I watched it from the conservatory – couldn’t miss it, much brighter than stars, moving at a fair old rate! Very cool to think there are people up there. I think the ISS really is one of our species’ most impressive achievements, not least for the international collaboration involved in getting it up there and keeping it running.