Chandrayaan-1

Hi everyone, does anyone know if it's possible to observe this craft as it heads off to the moon?

I figure that if satellites are easily observible with the naked eye, then possibly you could see the more distant Chandrayaan-1 with a scope if you know where to look?

www.isro.org/Chandrayaan/htmls/home.htm

Hi Stuart,

welcome to IFAS!

I don't think you're going to see much of Chandrayaan on its way to the Moon, primarily because of its size. It is about 1.5 meter cubed, and the fact that it looks like its surface is not entirely flat metal means not all of that is going to offer a decent albedo (surface reflection). It's possible you might see it for its first few revolutions around Earth as it gathers momentum, but that will depend on its orbital inclinaion, and whether Ireland is along that path (just like the ISS varies week to week, month to month). As yet, there is no proposed post-launch information about it on that website, so I wouldn't hold my hopes up.


Then again, I have been known to get some things wrong before...



Seanie.

Thanks for that, makes sense. Also learnt a new word: albedo

Guess we'll see what images it sends back in the next few days or so, rather than trying to spot it. Would be great if any future missions posted orbital details that could be loaded into Stellarium for example.

Cheers!
Stuart.

UPDATE:

The Moon Impact Probe detached from the unmanned lunar orbiter Chandrayaan-1 and made a hard landing on the lunar surface around 8:31 p.m. New Delhi time ( 10:01 a.m. EST)

edition.cnn.com/2008/TECH/space/11/14/in...oon.probe/index.html

Seanie.

On Sky TV there is a TV news channell kind of like Sky News for India.
It's broadcast from Bangalor.
I watched it as the news came in.
Holy cow they all went bonkers!!

Great to watch,
the sense of pride was tangible.

Fair play to em.