Satellite Tracking

[UBT - Rick Horn]

Space freaks may be interested in a site which lets you track numerous satellites in real time. It also gives vast amounts of detail on each satellite. It is www.n2yo.com

[UBT - Timbo]

Space freaks may be interested in a site which lets you track numerous satellites in real time. It also gives vast amounts of detail on each satellite. It is www.n2yo.com

Hi Rick,

That's a great link - I can't figure out how to view satellites from a given location though - it seems only to be able to track specific named satellites.

Would be nice to be able to see what might be flying overhead in real time !!

(Am sure it's somewhere on the net - think I found a different site that did it, but that was about 3 years and a couple of PC's ago!  )

regards,

Tim

[UBT - BHCJackie]

Would be nice to be able to see what might be flying overhead in real time !!

(Am sure it's somewhere on the net - think I found a different site that did it, but that was about 3 years and a couple of PC's ago!  )

Here maybe?

[UBT - Rick Horn]

As far as I know you can`t view it where you want. It depends on the location of your isp. That should normally be the UK, but sometimes they use a proxy server in California, which totally cocks you up. There is a red "map pin" which shows you your notional position on the globe. Hope that sheds some light on the problem. Regards, Rick

[UBT - Rick Horn]

It won`t actually make much difference to the display if your "location pin" is in the wrong place, as all the satellites will be in the same place wherever you are. The only error will be whether the satellite is above or below the horizon. Rick

[UBT - Timbo]

As far as I know you can`t view it where you want. It depends on the location of your isp. That should normally be the UK, but sometimes they use a proxy server in California, which totally cocks you up. There is a red "map pin" which shows you your notional position on the globe. Hope that sheds some light on the problem. Regards, Rick

Hi Rick,

Yup - my "red pin" shows up OK - but the website then lists lots of satellites and you are required to pick one (or more) and then when you check you find that none of them come over you - so searching for a satellite that you want to "spot" is even more difficult.

The link you provide is great if you want to know where a particular satelillte is.

But it's not so good if you don't know the name (of the satellite) and hence only want to see what's over your Lat/Long position.

In the end I got hold of "SatScape" which is a separate program that connects via the net - this enables you to put in your own co-ords for your location and then shows what's flying overhead...!

regards,

Tim

[UBT - Timbo]

Here maybe?

Hi Jackie,

Thanks for the link - I did find that one, but didn't want to have to remember register in order to get yet another login and password...!


As you can see in the thread, I found something that "sorta works" - and I'm giving that a go at present.

regards,

Tim

[UBT - Rick Horn]

That sounds good Tim, I`ll give it a try. Regards, Rick

[UBT - Timbo]

That sounds good Tim, I`ll give it a try. Regards, Rick

Hi rick,

Sorry - should have given the URL. It's:

http://www.satscape.co.uk


And check out their webcam in South Normanton (UK) - in real time with quick refreshes !!


regards,

Tim

[UBT - BHCJackie]

Woo - South Normanton is quite near me

[UBT - Timbo]

Woo - South Normanton is quite near me

Yup - that's why I mentioned it.....!

So, if maybe you know the location, get round there and do a "quick dance" for the whole world to see !!

regards,

Tim

[UBT - Rick Horn]

Thanks for the satellite URL Tim. I downloaded it this morning and I`m going to play with it right now. From the brief look I had, it looks good. I`ve spotted another satellite / astronomy site that looks promising, www.heavens-above.com You can specify your location to about 1Km. then it remembers where you are each time you log on. It looks interesting, particularly for Iridium flashes if you`re interested in that sort of thing.

Regards, Rick

[UBT - Timbo]

Thanks for the satellite URL Tim. I downloaded it this morning and I`m going to play with it right now. From the brief look I had, it looks good. I`ve spotted another satellite / astronomy site that looks promising, www.heavens-above.com You can specify your location to about 1Km. then it remembers where you are each time you log on. It looks interesting, particularly for Iridium flashes if you`re interested in that sort of thing.

Regards, Rick

No worries.

I found Sat Scape to be a little bit "clumsy" - but hey, it's freeware, so until the author earns some more $$$ from it, it'll at least work well enough to give someone guidance as to what I'm looking at !!


In my case, most nights, outside my house, I have dark, clear skies and mostly one can see plenty of stars - am hopeful someone will buy me a decent Meade telescope for my b'day..... - but for now, satelllite watching is a great game - but of course one doesn't know one "fast moving" object from the next..!


Reminds me: About 2 months after 9/11, we went out for an evening walk, and just as we left the house, my partner looked up and saw something above us, "cylindrical" in shape and clearly "on fire" - and it looked like an airliner, flying at high speed across the sky with flames streaking backwards away from the front section.

Turned out to be a 1st stage Russian booster rocket, that eventually crashed in the North Sea...!

regards,

Tim

[UBT - Rick Horn]

I really enjoy Satscape, I was playing with it for hours yesterday. As to the Russian booster, it looks as though you had a lucky escape!

Regards, Rick