What do manmade satellites look like through binoculars or a telescope?
Question by Dan C: What do manmade satellites look like through binoculars or a telescope?
I have been using the heavens above site to see when the Hubble, the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station will be visible from my location. Unfortunatly we have had a couple of days of clouds.
I have 15x70 and 7x35 binoculars and a 5.1" Meade telescope. How much magnification do I need before these satellites show some shape?
Best answer:
Answer by cosmo
Even at maximum magnification, satellites will be point-like (look like stars) with your binoculars and telescope.
That being said, it's not impossible to image large satellites such as the Space Station from the ground. If the satellite is 200 kilometers away (pretty darn close), 1 second of arc is a resolution of 1 meter. That's enough to show some shape. One second of arc is about the best you can do with a moderately-big telescope and good seeing conditions.
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