November 13th 2023.
The International Space Station (ISS) recently had a rather unusual visitor: a runaway tool bag. The bag, which went missing during a 6 hour and 42 minute maintenance mission on the ISS by astronauts Moghbeli and O'Hara, is now slowly drifting out into space!
This week, the ISS will be passing over the UK, and those with a set of binoculars will be able to see the tool bag for themselves. From Friday, the ISS will be visible twice every evening, between 5pm and 8pm. Stargazers can check when the station will be passing over their area here, and how long it will be visible for.
The tool bag will be flying overhead a few minutes ahead of the ISS, and has a visual magnitude of about 6. It is unlikely to be visible to the naked eye, but a pair of binoculars should do the trick. However, anyone hoping to catch a glimpse will need a clear night and a wide orbit of the ISS. On some days it won’t be very high in the sky, meaning it is only visible for a few minutes and more affected by light pollution.
Tonight, stargazers will also get an excellent view of Uranus, which is at its biggest and brightest as it moves into opposition. While slightly brighter than the tool kit, it is still tricky to see with the naked eye, so a pair of binoculars are recommended.
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So if you have a pair of binoculars and a clear night, why not wrap up warm and head outside for a chance to spot the runaway tool bag!
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