I witnessed both the Shuttle launch and the Space Station fly over today in SC!

Yup. Sure did. First ever for me and what a thrill (once I realized what it was ). I'm always one of the first people to get to work in the mornings and went outside for a smoke this morning a little after 6:00 am. I'm always looking at the stars this time of morning because it's such a wonderful time of the day and, well, there's not much else to look at. I noticed what I thought was a meteor (because of the tail), except that it didn't burn out. I'm in South Carolina and was facing due East. I ran inside and got a friend of mine to come out and see it - he wasn't as thrilled as I though and he just looked for a second and went back in. This thing was booking - it was really travelling! A slight downward path, in fact I thought for a moment it was on a crash course - not realizing how far away it really was.

After watching that for a few minutes (yeah... a few MINUTES), I happened to glance south. And, lo and behold, the most gorgeously, illuminated silver white "cloud" (it was still dark at this point outside but getting almost "dawnish") was just sitting there. No "dawn colors", just the shiniest, most brilliant silver white "cloud" all alone in the darkness. Nothing else... nowhere in the sky... just this silver illuminated blob. Along that time, another friend was coming in to work and commented on the "cloud" so we stood for a couple of minutes and talked about it.

It wasn't until I went back in that I realized that this morning was a shuttle launch. I knew about it... just didn't register with me at the time. And, yep, Florida is south of South Carolina . So I made that connection although I'm not sure of the science behind the illumination of it in pre-dawn conditions. I was 350 miles NW of Cape Canaveral (as the bird flies). The cloud looked like the top part of this except no colors but the silver, and the sky was still dark.

It was then that I went online to figure out what the other thing was and apparently it was the Space Station itself! I found something in an article online (of course, can't find it now) about how the spectators at the shuttle launch itself were treated to a "pass over" of the Space Station just prior to the launch of the shuttle (not on purpose just a timing thing, and, I'm assuming, not really "over" either) but that the SS was over the Atlantic. Well, the Atlantic is pretty much due East of South Carolina .

I got to see a shuttle launch in another state and the Space Station in.. wherever it is - without even having to miss work to do it.

I can't prove it was either one, but I'm convinced... and that's all that matters to me.


Edit to add: Yeah, I know... pics! Well, sorry to say, where I work, we can't have recording equipment or transmitting devices (lol, cell phones, etc.)... so, live with it! I have to.

[edit on 5/4/2010 by Iamonlyhuman]

im jelouce, i doubt ill ever see one from uk!

i was reading earlier on space weather that the launch created some seriously awesome noctilucent cloud that you probably saw! Lucky!

and an iss flyby... thats always good!

I saw one of the shuttles launching on my way down to georgia in February. It really is an awe inspiring sight isn't it? It reminded me of the Saturn-v rocket at the JFK space center. A testament to our status as gods of this planet. Truly it is an amazing time to live.

Originally posted by boaby_phet
im jelouce, i doubt ill ever see one from uk!

i was reading earlier on space weather that the launch created some seriously awesome noctilucent cloud that you probably saw! Lucky!

and an iss flyby... thats always good!

Well, all I can say is that was absolutely the most gorgeous "cloud" I've ever seen in my life. It literally glowed silver white in the darkness.

The funny part is I wasn't even looking for either one. I just happened to see BOTH!

[edit on 5/4/2010 by Iamonlyhuman]

ye, thats the one !

spaceweather.com...

spaceweather.com...

check under "amazing liftoff..." scroll down bit, theirs more pics their

reply to post by boaby_phet


Yeah it looked just like this one except the sky was alot darker which made it alot prettier than that picture.

[edit on 5/4/2010 by Iamonlyhuman]

reply to post by Iamonlyhuman


Goodonya IAOH! What a great day for you! I was watching at the time of the launch -- just in case, y'know, because I'm a few hundred miles south of it -- but didn't see anything. I am also jealous. ;o)

I'm pretty fond of an ISS flyover, though. It's a habit that I don't mind having and I go to heavens-above quite a bit.

It's a semi-sad thing that ISS flyovers are such blaaaah photo opportunities, but hey, we should be uplifted to watch a satellite zipping along at a pokey 17,000 mph 150 miles (average) above the Earth. Why uplifted? Well, we are here on terra firma, and someone is up there doing a job that must be glorious and piercingly lonely, and probably sacrificing bone mass to boot. Many of us would trade with them for a week, but how about two years? More? I wonder sometimes if the people in the ISS ever feel they are using up their life at an accelerated pace?

So we wave, even though they can't possibly see. They couldn't see if every inhabitant of this sleepy island decided one night to simeultaneously turn on their house and car lights, and every flashlight and boat spot available.

But we wave all the same, 'cause that's a tip of the hand and heart to those who ride a beautiful blue screaming star that lights up the night. Our IFO.

reply to post by Iamonlyhuman


Lucky you, I saw a lanch from my cousins home in Titisville, Fla in 2001-2, don't remember which year for sure, to be so close was absolutely amazing, so sound alone can blow you away, so glad I had the opportunity, I follow all the launches and watch them on the NASA site, hey you don't have to have pictures, they are in your minds eye now forever.

[edit on 5-4-2010 by Aquarius1]

just been outside and filmed a bright object traveling from west to east at first thought it was a planes headlights but far brighter then as it went overhead with no nav lights but still bright I knew it must either be the iss or a ufo . Loading film now unfortunately filmed with lens shutter closed for a few secs then realised and tried to film object a little shaky in the rush but got it film coming as soon as i load to ytube. i checked but cant find the right site to see if there was a fly over of kent uk at approx 10.15 pm gmt.

[edit on 4-5-2010 by tarifa37]

Ok here it is sorry for quality was a rush job. And still processing so maybe take a few more mins.

reply to post by tarifa37


Does anybody know a reliable site that I can see if this was the iss that I just filmed flying over kent uk at 10.15pm gmt. Thanks. I did know but can't remember thought it was heavens above but cant find pass for the time ,www.heavens-above.com... no info on 10.15pm or 22:15 04/05/10

reply to post by tarifa37


Kind of hard to tell, tarifa. When I saw it (ISS) it had a tail.

Not sure what you are looking for but this site will give you the opportnuities to view the Shuttle and/or Space Station. It also covers different countries so anyone can use the site. Its something else when you see it. I saw it about two years ago over head at dusk and the shuttle was docked to the station. Even with the naked eye, you could see the shape of the ISS. Here is the site: spaceflight1.nasa.gov...

according to heavens above with my location it flew over at after midnight at 1am wednesday but I saw it at 22:15 therefore it can't have been the ISS
heavens-above.com...