How much detail of the International Space Station can be seen from earth with an average telescope?

Question

For example, one that I could buy in a science store.

Answer 1

You will be able to see more, now that they have added the solar panels (see article on Yahoo home page). If you want to see it clearly, get a mirror telescope, not one that uses lenses. And, get the most powerful you can afford.

Answer 2

I suspect you need 8 to 12 inches of aperture to see good detail, but even a 4 or 5 inch scope should show the general shape. Moving satellites are difficult to impossible to acquire and track through the eyepiece manually, so your best bet is something with a good slew rate that can be computer controlled. A good telescope store (Astronomics or Anacortes Telescope, e.g.) is probably a better source of equipment that the science store.

Answer 3

You will see no detail whatsoever...just a quickly moving bright point of light that will be nearly impossible to keep in the field of view.

Answer 4

i doubt if you would have time to even get focused in on it,,that puppy cruises quick,,,some nights you can see it with naked eye as dot...it looks like a star comeing accross the horizon,,once it goes out of suns light , it disappears out of sight,,it's traveling like 17,000mph,,good luck seeing through telescope