JohnCenaFan28
11-27-2008, 12:57 AM
Scientists say a toolkit lost in space is visible to anyone with a "reasonably powerful" telescope or binoculars.
Astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper lost it during a repair mission on the International Space Station.
It happened as she became the first woman to lead a space walk, reports the Daily Telegraph.
Nasa officials expected the bag to burn up on re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere but instead it has remained in orbit.
And for the rest of this month and into the first days of December the bag should be visible, although it will look like a tiny and faint star.
The toolkit is the size of a backpack and is travelling at more than 15,000mph, about 250 miles above the surface of the planet.
The angle at which it appears in the sky varies, but tonight it will be at 72 degrees and on Friday at 77 degrees.
The bag will be in the southern part of the sky, travelling from west to east.
The best viewing times will be at 6.08pm tonight, 6.33pm on Thursday, 5.24pm on Friday and 5.49pm on Saturday. Each appearance will last for three or four minutes.
People on the South Coast will have, weather permitting, the best view. Farther north it will be harder to see and in northern Scotland it will be out of view.
-Nova
Astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper lost it during a repair mission on the International Space Station.
It happened as she became the first woman to lead a space walk, reports the Daily Telegraph.
Nasa officials expected the bag to burn up on re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere but instead it has remained in orbit.
And for the rest of this month and into the first days of December the bag should be visible, although it will look like a tiny and faint star.
The toolkit is the size of a backpack and is travelling at more than 15,000mph, about 250 miles above the surface of the planet.
The angle at which it appears in the sky varies, but tonight it will be at 72 degrees and on Friday at 77 degrees.
The bag will be in the southern part of the sky, travelling from west to east.
The best viewing times will be at 6.08pm tonight, 6.33pm on Thursday, 5.24pm on Friday and 5.49pm on Saturday. Each appearance will last for three or four minutes.
People on the South Coast will have, weather permitting, the best view. Farther north it will be harder to see and in northern Scotland it will be out of view.
-Nova