2006-09-17 01:24:08 · 17 answers · asked by gary 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
yes.
2006-09-17 01:26:04 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes, very possible! I have counted half a dozen in half an hour or so. The best time is not long after sunset and of course you need to find a place where the sky is clear and not polluted by town street lights.
Log on here (it's free) and enter your coordinates to get a list of the main satellites to watch for. The Iridium sats can be spectacular!
http://www.heavens-above.com/
2006-09-17 01:27:13 · answer #2 · answered by Owlwings 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The atmosphere is polluted with light and toxins. It obscures what we see at night. In some remote places, you can see moving objects in the sky, these will be most commonly either satellites or objects bouncing off our atmosphere. I live in the UK and ive seen some satellites myself. If you look hard enough, and can spend some time gazing into the night sky, you'll possibly see one. There are hundreds, possibly thousands up there, so I would certainly say, its not uncommon at all to see one. To best view them would be in rural areas, this is mainly because there is far far less light pollution. I would also assume, it would be easier to see them in winter, thanks to the lack of radiation from the sun distorting what you see.
2006-09-17 01:30:28 · answer #3 · answered by Lee H 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Camping in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, you can see the same thing. It's quite a site to watch a little star fly by overhead.
Also, on the beach, at night, in Surf City North Carolina, you can see them. There's more than most people realize.
It's really one of my favorite things in life, to lie out under the stars when in a remote location where I can actually see how many there really are, and just dream. You should do it more often :)
2006-09-17 01:27:21 · answer #4 · answered by iswd1 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
When you consider that on a dark night you can see a naked candle flame from 70km away, seeing a satellite lit by the rays of the sun at 160km isn't that surprising. The one you noticed was probably in the lowest orbit and traveling at 17500km/h, orbiting every 90 minutes
2006-09-17 04:29:49 · answer #5 · answered by Gruesome Gary 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes it is. But it has to be just after the sun sets, or just before sunrise so that light will still reach low orbiting satellites, and you need a clear sky and minimal light pollution.
2006-09-17 01:28:14 · answer #6 · answered by Vincent G 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you think it might have been meteors subscribe to Spaceweather (its free and part of Nasa) they email you all the expected showers of meteors etc. Also try Atoptics, who have cool photos of all sorts of weird phenomenon in the sky, real ones, not fakes. Google both these to find them, There are amazing things in the sky, both day time and night. Fogbows and rainbows!
2006-09-17 02:25:03 · answer #7 · answered by Beebee 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, if you are far enough away from lights of the city and if the night is clear. There are a lot of low orbiting satellites that can be seen.
2006-09-17 01:31:43 · answer #8 · answered by N3WJL 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. I even saw the International Space station from a city!
2006-09-17 03:27:21 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, I've seen them in rural England.
2006-09-17 01:31:35 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes you can watch sattelites at night. depends on your location as to the quantity .. you may also have spotted the odd shooting star
2006-09-17 01:26:43 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋