ISS tonight- unusual

Hey,

I popped out to have a look at the moon tonight before going to bed and just happened to see the ISS. I wouldn't normally be that interested in it, but I noticed it was being very closely followed by something else- presumably another satellite. But it was so unusual- whatever was orbiting close to it (at least from my perspective) was following the exact path, AND speed. Is that normal? Could it have been the dragon capsule or whatever that thing is called (elon musks shuttle) or was it just a lucky sighting with an separate satellite?

Any info very much welcome.

Cheers folks,

Sean

Oh, by the way, it would have been around 22:30 ish.

Thanks

Hi Sean,

Good spot on seeing that supply vehicle following the ISS. It probably is ESA's ATV-5 cargo vessel. It was launched on July 29th and is due to dock with the ISS on August 12th.

I'm writing this on my iPad so the links to the various sites are not showing correctly but if you Google for ATV-5 you'll get more info.

Also, search on Google for Astrobob who is Bob King, a terrific blog that I check almost daily. He has a nice pair of photos showing the ISS and the ATV passing across the Plough. The photos clearly show the currently different tracks which will soon sync up.

Clear skies!

John

John beat me to it. It was indeed the ATV-5 ( www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Human_Spaceflight/ATV ) and details of its passage, along with other information, can be found at www.heavens-above.com (click on "Daily predictions for brighter satellites").

Mike

Cheers Mike!

I see an ISS pass is due just before midnight from my location in Terenure and the ATV a couple of minutes later. Will pop outside to catch them from the back garden which is south facing.

John

THAT was well worth waiting up for!

I first saw the ISS climbing above the western horizon about a minute before midnight. As it got higher I noticed an attendant point of light immediately to it's left ... the ATV was paralleling the space station! It looked for the world like Jupiter and a Galilean moon moving across the sky.

The closeness was due to perspective though as when the pair gained in altitude the ATV was clearly ahead of the station. I'm guessing the resupply craft is in a slightly lower orbit at the moment.

By 2 minutes after midnight the two craft were passing through Cygnus where first the ATV winked out of view and then the ISS faded 20 or so seconds later as both passed into the Earth's shadow.

An extraordinary sight and one sure to be repeated Saturday night. Check www.heavens-above.com for predictions for your location and just look up in wonder.

John