[GCARC] You watched the launch today on TV, now watch the Space Station fly over New Jersey tonight!

[Jim Wright]

Hi guys!
Assuming there are no clouds, there is a visible pass of the International
Space Station (ISS) tonight.
Yes, that's where the rocket you saw launched on TV today, the SpaceX with
Crew Dragon, is headed!

Step outside around 21:50 (9:50pm) and face North,
What will look like a moving "star" will come up from the horizon from the
North-West on a course that will take it across the sky from left to right
across the North (in front of you), and then down to your right (East).
About 3 minutes after you first see it, it should reach max elevation in
the sky - about 40 degrees up from the horizon, or basically half way up
from the horizon to straight overhead, in the general direction of the
North East.
It will continue on this arc across the sky towards the East, where it will
disappear into the Earth's shadow around 21:55.

What about crew Dragon?  Will we be able to see it?
Probably not, but I am going to try and look using binoculars anyway.
It is predicted to be very faint, about the brightness of a "normal" star,
like Polaris, the North Star, so I won't be too disappointed if I don't see
it.
Why so faint?  Unlike the space station which is very big and
metallic which reflects lots of sunlight making it easy to see as the
sunlight reflects off of it, the crew Dragon space capsule is tiny.
"Maybe" if lucky, can see it.
If you want to try, go out 5 minutes earlier, around 21:45, and face North,
same facing direction as you will be looking for the ISS pass a few minutes
later. These time predictions are approximate, because it is still
maneuvering. But around 21:47, if can see it at all, Dragon will be much
lower to the horizon, going from NNW, to max of only 22 degrees up in the
NNE, disappearing just a minute later in the ENE at 21:48.  Keep an eye on
the clock, though.  Don't want to miss the ISS show starting at 21:50!

Good luck,
and wishing for clear skies!
Jim