Why did the shuttle fade from view?

Question

Last night on the news they mentioned that the space shuttle would be visible at 9:23 (Calif. time) in the western sky. Sure enough two of us went out and we were able to spot it for a few seconds (looking like a medium-magnitude star, moving quickly across the sky ... very nice!). It climbed from the horizon ... but within a few seconds, it just faded out and disappeared as it climbed and we couldn't see it any more. It was a clear sky. Why would that happen? (I think I know, but I'm wondering if someone can give me a more informed description.)

Answer 1

It went behind the shadow of the earth. You can only see satellies when they are in the sun but you aren't. That happens when the sun has just gone down (or is about to come up) where you are. The shuttle is higher up than you, so it can still see the sun. The sunlight reflects off the satellite, and that's what you see.

That's why you can only see satellites just after sundown and just before sunup, and sometimes they disappear part-way across the sky when they pass into the shadow.

Answer 2

because it has passed the atmospheric layer...
this layer reflects a lot of the light and also filters some out.. oncethe shuttle has passed that layer it has ceased to be visible.. it is like looking out of the room through a window during night.. you cant see much can you... you can see everything IN the room but not much beyond the glass due to its reflectiveness of light. Try it.
Eearth is much the same... think of the atmospheric layer as the glass in this case.

Answer 3

It moved away from you until it was too small to be seen with the naked eye, and quickly too. The other answer is good too, once it stopped reflecting sunlight (for whatever reason) it would be impossible to see without a telescope.

Answer 4

it rotated a bit so it no longer reflected sunlight back to you or it went into the earths shadow.