Space station to make bright flights over Utah
"The thing is so big, literally it is brighter than anything else in the sky with the exception of the sun and moon," said Patrick Wiggins, NASA ambassador to Utah and eastern Nevada. Carefully calculated predictions show the orbiting station will cross "virtually straight overhead, especially here in Utah."
The station will be so bright that it will be easy to notice, with its gleam ranked at magnitude -4.5. The smaller the magnitude number, the brighter the object, so it will outshine Venus, which is pegged at -4.
Anyone watching from the Vernal region may see the space laboratory seem to fly "very close, if not go in front of, the moon," Wiggins said. That will happen for both passes of the station, on Friday and Sunday nights.
Wiggins gave this schedule for the events:
• Friday: At 9:02 p.m., throughout northern Utah, the station cruises into view low in the northwest. At 9:05 p.m. it passes overhead. At 9:07 p.m. it fades from view low in the southeast as it passes into Earth's shadow.
People watching from a narrow path may see the station pass in front of the moon. During the Friday appearance, that line curves from "just north of Logan to just north of Evanston to just north of Vernal," according to Wiggins.
The moon-crossing Sunday can be seen from a line reaching just south of the three cities.
Friday's view of the station will coincide with the Salt Lake Astronomical Society's first star party of the observing season. It will be open to the public from dusk to 11 p.m. at the Harmons store parking lot in Midvale, 7755 S. 700 East. Those who miss that party but still enjoy looking at celestial wonders through large telescopes may attend a second star party scheduled for Saturday night, same time, at This is the Place Heritage Park, 2601 E. Sunnyside Ave. (800 South).
Wiggins noted that star parties are held only if the weather cooperates.
E-mail: bau@desnews.com
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