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ISS visibility

i4mow – February 8, 2007 – 20:14

hi,
would I like know for waht reson it is not always possible to see to naked eye the nighttime passages of the international station when the sky is clear?
Regards Giordano

Observing ISS
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No sunlight

N5VHO – February 8, 2007 – 20:21

The ISS is only visible when it is illuminate by the Sun. During the transition period of evening and morning, because the ISS is several miles/km above the surface, it will be illuminated by the Sun even though the ground is in darkness.
At some point, the ISS will also enter the shadow of the Earth when the Sun angle falls below the horizon.

Kenneth - N5VHO
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/reference/radio/
http://www.clarc.org/jprod/component/option,com_weblinks/catid,14/Itemid,23/

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