HERE WE GO AGAIN !!!!!!!!

Hi Folks.My names is eamonn Cregan,and Id like to just alert everyone that because of the week long postpoment of the last flight of shuttle Eandevour to next friday night it looks very likely the we in Ireland will get one last oppertunity to see the Space shuttle AND EXTERNAL TANK blaze across the skies just 20 mins after launch ..29-04-11.

Calling all Astronomy Clubs and Photography clubs to spread the word and try to capture this event that only we in Ireland are lucky to witness.

Regards Eamonn from co.kerry

I've been lucky enough to see this twice. The first time I saw it I nearly passed away happily. I was standing there with my binos not really sure of what I might see. Then I saw discovery and the tank falling away behind it, I was speechless. Just stood there with my jaw hitting the ground. I will never forget that.

I would strongly encourage anyone (especially) if you haven't seen this before NOT to miss this. You will NEVER get another chance.

Thanks for posting it Eamonn.

Dave.

Sounds amazing. So is it only visible from the south coast. I am in Donegal, will it be visible from northern half of the country?

No, it will be visible right across the country. Its just the further south you go it will be higher above the horizon. It passes overhead just off the south coast.

Excellent! Thanks Dave and sweet Eamonn. Now all that has to happen is for the weather to behave itself! Heres hoping!

My experience mirrors Daves. I was sceptical of descriptions of what to expect because...well you know the story, Did you see glorious Red mars last night? What, you mean Mars with the faintest tiniest hint of a pinkish hue?

Well when people described the blazing orange fuel tank I figured, Yeah Right!

OMG. I was blown away. Firstly it was way brighter than I expected when it cleared the house rooves up the road at 5º altitude. I was blown away at how fast it moved across the sky. By the time it reached its zenith alt in the sky the shuttle was like a moving blazing bluey white Venus and underneath was a blazing rich deep orange/amber fuel tank.

Incredible.

Usually when I look at the ISS I visualise the weightless astronauts inside leisurely going about their business with the Blue Danube playing in my head.

With the shuttle still climbing to orbit 18 minutes after launch as it passed over us I couldn't help but visualise the crew strapped into their seats and grimacing from the G forces with Meatloafs 'Bat Outta Hell' playing in my head

Endeavour's Launch Countdown Preps Continue
Fri, 22 Apr 2011 05:40:53 AM PDT


Technicians on Kennedy's Launch Pad 39A carry out the final testing of systems in space shuttle Endeavour's aft section today for its schedule launch in one week.

Pressurization of Endeavour's various propulsion systems was completed yesterday and its aft 50 1/2 foot doors were installed for flight last night. Technicians are scheduled to get the weekend off before beginning prelaunch countdown preparations on Monday.

At NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Endeavour's six astronauts have administrative work to do today before going into quarantine tonight. They fly to Kennedy Tuesday morning for their final prelaunch preps.

This is Greg Johnson PLT for the mission.I had the great privilege of meeting Greg here in Kerry about 10 years ago,a guest of FAS he spent a week touring around the collages of Ireland including Tralee IT.A Great guy !

Myself,greg,and another legendery explorer from Co.Kerry !!

AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME!!!
Like the lads above I saw this amazing sight
the last time.
We are SO lucky to get to see this again!!
History in the making.

I'm gonna see can we get a bunch of
people together in the club to observe this.
Please, please, please lets habe clear skies!
Dunno if I'd bother photographing it, maybe a
long exposure wide field shot.
I just wanna give it my full attention.
Did I mention how Awesome this is?

Heavens Above

Dont forget the ISS is at mag -3.6 tonight @ 2213hrs (location depending)!!

Graham

My ISS Pass Pics [

Hi Graham

Thanks for sharing there beautiful pics,can you share with us any tips-settings-advise for friday night with our cameras.I have a cannon 400d,but Iam not experienced enough at night time photography.

Thank you

Whoa! The ISS flare last night as seen from here in Shannon
was around Mag -8!

All I did for the pics was stick the camera on a steady tripod,
Stuck on a wide angle lens,
Camera on manual,
ISO 100,
Aperature as open as it goes, for me it was F2.8
Shutter at 30secs,
Focus on manual to a bright star,

When you see the ISS just compose the photo quicky and click the shutter... and dont kick the tripod like I did!

when the shutter opens, re-align and take another shot!

and even better its around our skies for bright passes for a while!

Awesome stuff, thanks for the heads up (missed the ISS though, really should keep a list of pass times for myself).

Without sounding too thick, is there a reliable way of determining what time it will be visible from here? (If it's visible at all).

Absolutly! Check out heavans-above.com,
put in your location coordinates, you can get them from google earth if you dont have a gps, or even your rough location i.e. 'Bray, Co. Wicklow, Ireland'.
and you can find out exactly when the ISS (as well as other satellities) is going to pass (unless they change their path but unlikely).

Then when you have the time and their location in the sky go outside with a compass and predict where it will be just incase a house is too tall or a tree is going to be in the way so you can move if need to.

There are a few other ways but personally this works for me!

All clouded up at the moment... not looking good for todays pass's so far!

Thanksfor that Eamonn,
I was completely blown away last by the brightness and colour time we saw this.

My first attempt at astrophotography on sts 124.Lots of room for improvment on Friday night !!

My wife and I with Mark kelly two years ago in Norfolk England

www.n2yo.com/?s=25544

Might help on friday night,I sure hope its better looking then tinight !

Hi all,

Can't wait to Firday. Here's hoping the weather holds up. I have written a bit on my website about it so that people in my area will be aware of the event. You can read it here:

Space Shuttle Visible Over Donegal after Launch

All the best and thanks again for the heads up Eamonn.

Brendan,
www.DonegalSkie.com

nifty link,many thanks.

Details from Calsky for Thursday night (tonight):

ISS:
Appears 21h04m15s 2.0mag az:270.5° W horizon
Culmination 21h09m10s -4.2mag az:186.1° S h:62.3°
distance: 394.6km height above Earth: 351.9km elevation of sun: -3° angular velocity: 1.15°/s
Disappears 21h13m12s -1.5mag az:102.6° ESE h:3.7°

ISS:
Appears 22h39m23s 1.1mag az:278.3° W horizon
Culmination 22h44m05s -3.2mag az:205.5° SSW h:27.1°
distance: 705.8km height above Earth: 350.7km elevation of sun: -14° angular velocity: 0.64°/s
Disappears 22h44m39s -3.2mag az:183.6° S h:25.1°


Details from Calsky for Friday night:

Shuttle:
Appears 21h04m33s 4.1mag az:270.6° W horizon
Culmination 21h07m40s -2.0mag az:189.6° S h:35.6°
distance: 279.9km height above Earth: 167.1km elevation of sun: -3° angular velocity: 1.65°/s
Disappears 21h10m09s 0.5mag az:112.2° ESE h:4.1°

ISS:
Appears 21h28m43s 2.0mag az:276.4° W horizon
Culmination 21h33m34s -3.8mag az:196.1° SSW h:44.8°
distance: 486.4km height above Earth: 351.6km elevation of sun: -6° angular velocity: 0.93°/s
Disappears 21h36m38s -2.0mag az:120.7° ESE h:8.4°

Shuttle:
Appears 22h35m48s 3.3mag az:272.1° W horizon
Disappears 22h38m52s 0.2mag az:218.2° SW h:13.1°

ISS:
Appears 23h03m58s 0.8mag az:276.1° W horizon
Disappears 23h08m05s -2.1mag az:219.3° SW h:14.4°

A taste of things to come hopefully, this picture from July 2009 doesn't do the sight justice!

www.flickr.com/photos/79652716@N00/3724408751/in/photostream

Keith.

Ah Bummer!

spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts134/status.html
1701 GMT (1:01 p.m. EDT)
NASA now estimates Endeavour won't launch before Monday at 2:33 p.m. EDT

There is always the ISS tonight