Object leading ISS 29/March/08

jrui – March 31, 2008 – 10:07

Hello.

Last saturday, 29 March, I've been spotting ISS in naked eye, as I usually do as weather permits.
To get my observation opportunities I following a link from Heavens-Above, created based on my location, in the north of in Portugal.
Here is the link to last saturday's spotting: http://www.heavens-above.com/PassDetails.asp?SatID=25544&lat=40.54305&lng=-8.05205&alt=317&loc=Naia&TZ=PWT&Date=39536.8096077849
Therefore, visible from aprox 19:23:02 to 19:28:44

Well, the sky was clearly fabulous, on that start of evening.
The stangest thing was that I saw a bright object, ca 1/10 the size of ISS, leading it by
(I can't be accurate in this one) aprox 5km, the whole visible trajectory...
At that time I got really excited, cause I thought it could be the ATV Jules Verne.
But going back to the Heavens-Above site, changing the "satellite" to ATV, we get: http://www.heavens-above.com/PassDetails.asp?lat=40.54305&lng=-8.05205&loc=Naia&alt=317&tz=PWT&satid=32686&date=39536.8154817014
Visible from 19:31:35 to 19:37:01

See the time lag? So the ATV is trailing by around 8 minutes, not leading...

Can someone explain what I saw then that evening? I am very curious.

Thanx

ATV changes

N5VHO – March 31, 2008 – 15:03

Predicts of the ATV position are likely to be off as the ATV is involved in a lot of maneuvering during the demonstration days. What you saw was most likely ATV.

Kenneth - N5VHO
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/reference/radio/
Support ARISS http://www.amsat-na.com/donation.php (select "Human Spaceflight (ARISS))

That's awsome, great!!!I

jrui – March 31, 2008 – 19:25

That's awsome, great!!!

I really felt it was ATV, a unique view, superb!
What else could it be, actually?
But I never thought I could be so lucky to spot the two in the same trajectory...

Great news for an European!!! And an ISS big, big fan.

Godspeed ATV, and see you later ISS...

Cheers.