BENGALURU: Be alert, look up at the clear sky and track the live movement of the International Space Station (ISS). This has become the latest trend among many stargazers and astronomy enthusiasts, especially after India’s first astronaut, Group Captain and mission pilot of Axiom-4 Shubhanshu Shukla, boarded the ISS.
Ever since Shukla docked into the ISS on June 26, there has been heightened excitement among astronomy enthusiasts and scientists. It has now caught the attention of citizens who are keen to watch and track the movement of the ISS overhead.
There was a lot of enthusiasm among Bengalureans and people across South India on July 5, for the ISS was clearly visible over the horizon and many even videographed it. "It was like a bright moving star slowly passing by," they said. The same was seen on Monday, when the ISS crossed the Indian Ocean around 7.07-7.10pm and Bengalureans were able to see it with the naked eye in the southern direction at a 15-degree elevation.
Experts from ISRO and Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium said the enthusiasm among citizens to see and track ISS has increased. There are many mobile applications that can be downloaded through Play Store on mobile phones to track the ISS' live location.
ISRO scientists said ISS will be visible from Bengaluru at 6.37am on Tuesday, and at 7.55pm in the northern sky at 12-20 degree elevation. However, the most clear and apt sighting of ISS will be on July 9, between 5.48am and 5.51am in the northwest sky at a 63 degree elevation. It will be the brightest at 5.53am and closest to Bengaluru. Then again, between 7.09 and 7.13pm in the north-east direction at a 48 degree elevation. The brightest view will be at 7.11pm.
Former ISRO scientist and Director educational outreach AMSAT India, BA Subramani said, the elevation is crucial for clearly viewing the ISS. When it is overhead a chosen geographic location, people can see without any gadgets. However, the viewing range extends upto 1400kms. Thus people in other states can also see the ISS and establish uninterrupted contact with ISS through HAM Radio.
The maximum time the ISS is visible is 5-6 minutes and twilight hour is the best time to spot it. The elevation is also important for visibility. If the range is below 15 degree then visibility is not certain, but if it between 45-90 degree, then it is ideal, Subramani added.
ISS is on a low earth orbit mission. It is rotating around the Earth every 90 minutes, but it is not in the same location every time, as the orbit is changing. One does not need any star gazing apparatus to see the ISS. It is the brightest object in the sky when it is orbiting overhead, so it cannot be missed, explained Niruj Mohan Ramanujam, scientist at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics.
He added that there was similar enthusiasm when Sunitha Williams was on board ISS, but in case of Shukla it is more because of increasing information available about him.
SPOTTING ISS
* ISS is clearly visible during twilight hour (evening or early morning)
* Clear sky and no high rise structures are idea for viewing
* It is the brightest object in the sky, sometimes brighter than Venus
* Elevation of ISS is also important for spotting it
* Track the ISS using live GPS location from one of the phone conducive apps
