How to View, Watch and See Satellites in The Night Sky
Some people have never had the opportunity to view a satellite whizzing past the earth.
Satellites can be free floating debris such as pieces of a man made aircraft that circle the Planet Earth in a type of mini orbit until they eventually crash into the Earth somewhere.
Satellites can also be caused by the reflection of the sun shining off of a functioning spacecraft such as the International Space Station. When the sun shines on any reflective surface on any one of these satellites you can easily see it and track it across the sky.
Most satellites`look to be about as small as a tiny star or smaller. The light that a satellite reflects might look steady when compared to a sparkly star since it is the warm, steady glow of our sun that is being reflected for you to see.
Satellites are always moving faster than any airplane would be moving even when flying very high up in the sky. Satellites are seen moving much higher up and are located farther away from Earth than any normal airplane would ever be flying.
Interesting things can be spotted in outer space but you won't find them until you look for them. Star Gazing is a fun and easy way to connect with and learn about the Universe.
How to View, Watch and See Satellites in The Night Sky
Step 1
Choose the perfect night for star gazing. Make sure that you stargaze on a clear night with not a trace of clouds. Check your local weather forecast to make sure that you pick the perfect night to watch the stars.
The best time to see satellites is an hour before sunrise and also an hour after sundown. However, you can view satellites at all times throughout the night.
Step 2
Travel to the outskirts of town if possible.
Try to get as far away from the city as possible. Light pollution has made viewing the sky nearly impossible in some places in the world.
You can see satellites from your backyard so traveling far away from home shouldn't be necessary.
Step 3
Bring plenty of supplies with you if you must leave your house to view satellites, especially if you are traveling far to watch the satellites in the night sky.
Here is a list of items that you might want to bring with you inside of your vehicle while you travel to a dark location :
* Cell phone
* Flashlights (extra batteries)
* Emergency money or cash
* Warm blankets
* Bottles of water
* Food and Snacks
* First aid kit
* Ice cooler or ice-chest with ice (stock with food such as sandwiches, hot dogs, hamburgers and chips. Also bring plenty of bottled waters and other drinks such as juice and sodas.)
* Emergency car supplies (road flares, fire extinguisher, etc.)
* Chairs (one for each person. Some cars and trucks have seats that fold down in the back or you can make a comfy bed in the back of a truck.)
Step 4
Relax in your chair, sit back and watch the sky.
Look at all of the stars. After watching the sky for a few moments you may have already spotted what seems to be a star but it is moving very fast. This is most likely a satellite.
How do you know when your seeing a satellite?
Satellites move a lot slower than Shooting Stars. They are located higher up than airplanes fly, they don't have blinking lights, they move faster than planes move, they don't usually twinkle, and their brightness can fade in and out randomly.
A night of viewing satellites will truly amaze you and make you realize just how polluted our sky is. While watching satellites think about this :
If you have been watching the sky for just a short time and have seen so many satellites, then what is the sky going to look like in 50 more years?
Also check out a space website or magazine to see if there are any other neat celestial happenings going on that night that you also may want to check out.
Other items that might be fun to have when you watch the stars are a pair of binoculars and a telescope.
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