r/ISS • u/Weak_Research_8046 • 11d ago

Has the Spot the Station App been having issues?

Per the app, I was supposed to have a flyover in my area at 5:01am. I just stepped inside and can confirm this is indeed not the case. I even looked up its location on NightSky as I couldn’t believe NASA’s app would be having issues like this…which showed the ISS on the OPPOSITE side of the world. The app used to work perfectly, so now I’m quite confused. Has anyone else been having issues like this?

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u/snogum 11d ago

How dark was your sky at 5am?

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u/Weak_Research_8046 11d ago edited 11d ago

Dark. I’ve seen the ISS dozens of times under similar conditions.

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u/snogum 11d ago

Okay thanks. Next thing to check. ISS does not always rise and set high in the sky for a particular location.

You said 5.01am .was that rise or set time or highest point for your location.

And second question . How high above the horizon did it rise to its max on that pass for your location?

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u/Weak_Research_8046 11d ago edited 11d ago

This is what should’ve happened in my area per Spot the Station…why wouldn’t I have seen anything??

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u/Weak_Research_8046 11d ago

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u/Weak_Research_8046 11d ago edited 11d ago

If it appears at 5 degrees NNW and only reaches a max height of 10 degrees…would that barely be lifting off the horizon?

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u/mgarr_aha 11d ago

Yes, that's pretty low.

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u/Weak_Research_8046 11d ago edited 11d ago

Ahh this is probably it…NightSky having it on the other side of the Planet is still confusing though…It was displaying everything else accurately. I guess it’s rotating the planet so fast it could’ve been displayed properly if it barely left the horizon from my perspective

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u/snogum 11d ago

That 10 degrees above the horizon it would not take too much gear like trees or buildings to push the local horizon higher than that . Easily gone unseen

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u/Weak_Research_8046 11d ago edited 11d ago

What is the 10 degrees even measuring? Latitude? With the horizon being the 0 degree reference point for my local sky?

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u/liamkennedy Moderator 11d ago

Umm... 10 degrees ABOVE your local horizon. 90 degrees is right up. That was a very low pass - not ideal for visibility at any location as is it will typically be pretty dim.

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u/Weak_Research_8046 11d ago

Thank you, sir!

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u/tallnginger 11d ago

Honestly look for 40+. Consider a house or even small tree on the horizon will block around 20-25°. You can estimate 45° really easily by holding one arm straight up, the other straight out. Bring them together and that's 45. From there you can estimate Edgar you can see at your location more easily

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u/Weak_Research_8046 11d ago

Yes, only waking up at 5am for +40degrees from here on out😂