Greater Toronto Area Space Station Flyovers for the week of December 8th, 2019

On Monday, December 9 from 5:51 to 5:57 pm EST, the International Space Station will fly overhead of the GTA in a very bright pass, rising from the west-northwestern horizon, passing very close to the bright star Deneb, and then disappearing into Earth’s shadow just over the southeastern horizon.

Artificial satellites are only visible because they are high enough to be bathed in sunlight while the sun is below the horizon for earthbound observers. When the geometry is just right, beams of sunlight are reflected to Earth from flat, shiny surfaces on the spacecraft – producing a steady light that crosses the night sky in minutes. Low Earth orbiting satellites like the space station can only be seen within a few hours of dusk and dawn (except rare occasions when they are silhouetted against the moon or sun). Satellites with higher orbits can be seen throughout the night.

The ISS (International Space Station) is visible gliding silently over the GTA this week. The best passes at (mostly) convenient times are listed below. (Note: The more negative the Mag. number, the brighter it will look. The larger the Max Alt. number, the higher up in the sky it will be!) The higher and brighter passes are highlighted with “!!”. (Data adapted from www.Heavens-above.com. If you enter your location into their website, you will get a list of the passes for your location.) All the times below are expressed in Eastern Time.

The Iridium Company this week de-orbited their last first-generation satellite – so Iridium Flares will no longer be celestial events.

Keep looking up, and enjoy the sky when you do. I love questions and requests – so, send me some!