I have done some checking and it looks like there may be some early morning opportunities to see ISS and the Shuttle flying in tandem before docking, the best being a short pass about 0506 EDT on 20Feb09, assuming the launch does occur on 19Feb09. If the launch does occur on that day it should be at 0441 EDT, before the start of Astronomical Twilight, which would make the flyby and MECO visible from NYC.
| Observing Location | Bowery @ E 3 St, New York, NY |
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| Observational Period | 1600-1615 EDT & 1730-1745 EDT |
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| Atmospheric Conditions |
| | 1600 EDT | 1730 EDT |
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| Cloud Cover | Clear | clear |
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| Temperature | 22° F | 21° F |
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| Wind | Gentle Breeze | Gentle Breeze |
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| Humidity | Moderate | Moderate |
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| Barometric Pressure | 30.29" Hg
Rising | 30.33" Hg
Rising |
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| Feels Like | Very Cold | Very Cold |
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| Transparency | Excellent | Excellent |
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| Seeing | | |
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| Instruments | Naked-eye - Charlie |
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| Observing Party | Charlie Ridgway
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| Target | Moon |
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| Constellation | |
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| Category | Lunar |
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Time
yyyymmdd.hhmm | 20090205.1600 EDT & 20090205.1730 EDT |
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| Comments |
| Lunation | 1065 |
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| Phase | Waxing Gibbous |
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| Age | 10.60780d |
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Distance
Light Time
(from earth) | 364,166.2 km
1.21s |
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| Elongation | 129.22° East |
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| % Illuminated | 81.7% |
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| Morning Terminator Colongitude (λ E) | ° |
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| Evening Terminator Colongitude (λ W) | ° |
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| Libration in Latitude | ° |
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| Libration in Longitude | ° |
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| Magnitude | -11.3 |
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| Angular Size | 32' 48.97" |
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| Altitude | 49.0119° |
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Virtual Moon Atlas graphic |
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The gibbous moon is about 45° up in the eastern sky. At 1730 EDT, with the Moon at about 55° altitude, there was good contrast on the surface of the Moon and between the Moon and the early twilight sky. I could make out Mare Imbrium, Oceanus Procelarum, Mare Crisium and Mare Tranquilitatis.
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| Target | Venus |
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| Constellation | Psc |
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| Category | Planet |
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Time
yyyymmdd.hhmm | 20090205.1600 EDT & 20090205.1730 EDT |
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| Comments |
Object
Class | Classical Planet |
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| Phase | Waning Crescent |
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| Elongation | 45.03° East |
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| % Illuminated | 37.9% |
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Distance
Light Time
(from Earth) | 0.5232247 AU
4m 21.12s |
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Distance
(from Sun) | AU |
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| Angular Size | 31.88" |
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| Magnitude | -4.6 |
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| Altitude | 38.6773° |
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Meridian graphic |
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At 1600 EDT I was not able to locate Venus. I don’t know if the sky was too white where it was or if I just wasn’t picking it out.
At 1730 EDT Venus was very bright against the twilight sky and was at about 37° altitude. |
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Nothing else was visible.
