Last night (22nd April 2011) Progress 41P (a Russian automated cargo vehicle) and the International Space Station passed over almost directly overhead. Progress 41P was just one minute in front of the ISS, so you could see both in the same orbit as they came from the West, passed through Ursa Major (clearly seen in the middle of the image) and then left 25 degrees above the ENE.
Image taken using the Canon 5D MkII, fisheye lens, ISO100 and f#100 from the New Forest Observatory site by Greg Parker.
For the next couple of days you will continue to get good sightings of Progress 41P – the Space Station is good at least until May 3rd.
It just passed here south of sydney australia. Didnt see progess 41p but ISS i caught a few min later. Do they look the same? Also saw a few “shooting stars” one was very big , bright and faster than any i have ever seen!!
Hi Andy,
41P looks a little dimmer, but otherwise they appeared to be quite similar. I saw one Lyrid last night (23rd April 2011) and even managed to catch it on the camera 🙂
I saw something on friday 22nd North england they were both travelling from west to east…ome dim smallish satellite the straight after it the brightest thing in the sky…very big…was that the ISS? I’m surprised not to see three camels with kings chasing afetr it aka life of brian.
Yes that was the ISS – unbelievably big and bright isn’t it. You’d think it was a plane but there are no red and green flashing lights to be seen 🙂
Greg
I too spotted that there was going to be a chase across the sky on the 22nd, so practised spotting the ISS (then with Progress 41P attached) on the preceding evenings. On that pass didn’t manage to spot Progress until the ISS appeared and was able quickly to spot Progress ahead of it on the same course, but much less bright (especially when viewed from a town with street lighting.) Your excellent photo will be a treasured reminder.
Since then, have had excellent views of both, and several Lyrids (though those were later in the night.) Tonight (Monday 25th) caught the 21:29 BST pass of the ISS and the final (for the UK) 22:37 pass of Progress, as I understand it will suffer “destructive de-orbit” on Tuesday afternoon. It appeared to be running about a minute later than predicted. It seems that one needs a very accurate watch or clock to spot the ISS – some of the opportunities for sightings have lasted a minute or less, and it is travelling at about 17,000 MPH.