Help - Visible Passes for Specific Satellite
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This page gives a table of opportunities to see a particular satellite over the given
time period. Only passes which reach an
elevation of at least 10° are shown, because lower ones are difficult to observe.
First, the information about the search period (currently limited to 10 days), observers location and time zone are given as usual, and also
some summary orbit data.
Here is an example of the table listing the visible passes followed by
a description of each column;
Date
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Brightness
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Start
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Highest point
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End
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Pass type
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(mag)
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Time
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Alt.
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Az.
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Time
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Alt.
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Az.
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Time
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Alt.
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Az.
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21 Feb
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-3.3
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18:42:30
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10°
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WNW
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18:45:51
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85°
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NNE
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18:48:28
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15°
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ENE
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visible
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21 Feb
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-0.7
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20:19:40
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10°
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W
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20:21:21
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19°
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WNW
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20:21:21
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19°
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WSW
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visible
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22 Feb
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-1.8
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19:30:25
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10°
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W
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19:33:25
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32°
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SW
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19:34:44
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23°
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S
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visible
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- Date
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The date when the pass occurs. Clicking on it dispalys the Pass Details page.
- Brightness
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A magnitude estimate, if available, of the magnitude of the satellite at the maximum
elevation of the pass. If there is no estimate available, a question mark will appear
in this column. Please remember that this is only a rough estimate, and there are
usually unpredictable factors, concerned with the attitude of the satellite which
could lead to significant deviations from this value. Remember that lower values
correspond to brighter passes than high values.
- Start
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The start time, which is defined either as the time when the satellite reaches an
elevation angle of 10° or, if it is then still in shadow, when it leaves the
Earth's shadow.
- Highest point
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These three columns give the time, elevation and azimuth at the highest point of
the pass. This corresponds to the highest elevation of the satellite when sunlit,
and therefore visible.
- End
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The last three columns give the time and location at the end of the pass. This is
defined similarly to the start, i.e. when the satellite drops below 10° or
enters into shadow if that happens first.
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