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sorcyressI got to wave to the ISS today!
Almost a year ago --end of last August-- a friend told me that you can sign up for text alerts from NASA for when you might be able to see the ISS. It tells you the time and duration and direction and degree. This is the first time I've actually gotten the text, read it in time, recognized that it was actually at a moment I'd be able to see it, and set an alarm to go out. And it worked!
Rey and I went out to the backyard, where I perched on the picnic table and pointed myself SW to wait. We spotted a few planes, one bright planet, probably-a-bat, a bunny, and then suddenly a bright bright dot, moving smoothly and rapidly across the sky. It didn't blink (so not a plane) and it didn't burn out (so not a meteor) and it followed exactly the path I'd been told. Rey pointed out that part of how it was so bright is because it's technically after sunset here, but only just barely, so it was surely reflecting some last minute sunlight down to us.
I watched it soar above us, quiet and pleased, and I think I said aloud "There is good in this world Mr. Frodo". There is a very specific emotion that my body and mind hold, and I call it "crying about space" and it's tied to hope and community and passion and drive and What Could Be and it is one of my very favourite emotions in the world, even if it's also incredibly scary because of What Isn't.
And then it was gone behind the trees, and we went back inside and I looked up who is currently up there. Seven men --3 from the US, 3 from Russia, and 1 from the UAE-- currently on "Expedition 69". Nice!
Anyways, you could sign up for these alerts too! Then you can look up every once in a while in the evening or early morning and wave at the people who are very far away and moving very fast. You too could cry about space. <3
~Sor
MOOP!
Almost a year ago --end of last August-- a friend told me that you can sign up for text alerts from NASA for when you might be able to see the ISS. It tells you the time and duration and direction and degree. This is the first time I've actually gotten the text, read it in time, recognized that it was actually at a moment I'd be able to see it, and set an alarm to go out. And it worked!
Rey and I went out to the backyard, where I perched on the picnic table and pointed myself SW to wait. We spotted a few planes, one bright planet, probably-a-bat, a bunny, and then suddenly a bright bright dot, moving smoothly and rapidly across the sky. It didn't blink (so not a plane) and it didn't burn out (so not a meteor) and it followed exactly the path I'd been told. Rey pointed out that part of how it was so bright is because it's technically after sunset here, but only just barely, so it was surely reflecting some last minute sunlight down to us.
I watched it soar above us, quiet and pleased, and I think I said aloud "There is good in this world Mr. Frodo". There is a very specific emotion that my body and mind hold, and I call it "crying about space" and it's tied to hope and community and passion and drive and What Could Be and it is one of my very favourite emotions in the world, even if it's also incredibly scary because of What Isn't.
And then it was gone behind the trees, and we went back inside and I looked up who is currently up there. Seven men --3 from the US, 3 from Russia, and 1 from the UAE-- currently on "Expedition 69". Nice!
Anyways, you could sign up for these alerts too! Then you can look up every once in a while in the evening or early morning and wave at the people who are very far away and moving very fast. You too could cry about space. <3
~Sor
MOOP!
no subject
on 2023-05-17 11:09 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2023-05-25 06:18 pm (UTC)(Thank you for the appropriate deep-cut title. One of my favorite songs from one of my favorite groups.)