Toolbag in space

[Ian]

This really made me laugh :lol:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7750205.stm

You know the toolbag that floated away in space when fixing something on the International Space Station? Well, you can view it from the comfort of your back garden!

A computer model has been developed for the tool bag (see link below answer box). But finding its exact location in the sky depends on your location on Earth. For example, it will appear lower in the sky from the north of England and Scotland than the south.

Equipped with your latitude and longitude coordinates, the model will calculate the time to see the tool bag, the altitude it will be at and the magnitude, which specifies its brightness compared with stars.
Usually the bag is below 6th magnitude, which is naked-eye visibility. This means you will need the right equipment to see it - binoculars or a telescope. Even with these it will be difficult to see, says Dr Robert Massey of the Royal Astronomical Society.

 

[WindowsSe7en]

lol, that's awesome! I didn't know that! What a story! lol

 

[spuds]

Hahahaha, this was on the news with the Astronaut being very restrained as the (very expensive) toolkit floated away.

I wonder if it will land somewhere in one piece?

 

[kermit]

You can also see the ISS if you look up at the sky at the right time. There's a website that calculates the exact time (to the second) that objects bright enough to appear to the naked eye will be visible, including planets and satellites. You need to be quick though as you don't get much viewing time.

If anyone is interested I'll try and find the site again.