Soyuz to Dock with International Space Station. Look for East Coast Morning Flybys

The Soyuz spacecraft took of in a snowstorm last week for a heavenly rendezvous with the International Space Station on Thursday.  The Soyuz craft is carrying three astronauts as part of a replacement crew for the ISS.  Soyuz will dock shortly after midnight early on November 16th.  The Soyuz craft will remain tdocked with ISS until November 21st, and it will then ferry three of the older ISS crew members back down to Earth.

If you live along the East Coast of the United States, head out early in the morning to look for flybys of the Soyuz spacecraft docked with the International Space Station nearly every day this week.  Flybys will occur from about 4am to about 6am just before the sun rises.

One of my favorite websites for determining the bast times to look is http://heavens-above.com.  The heavens-above site offers accurate predictions with a large geographic database.

Leonid Meteor Shower for 2011 Will Contend with Moonlight

There is no need to stay up late the check out the Leonid meteor shower this year. The Leonid meteor shower for 2011 is ramping up toward its peak later this week. However, it is going to contend with a nearly full moon this year.

The Leonid meteor shower peaks each year on the night of November 17th.  For the best chance to see some Leonid you will need to get out to to look at the night sky before the moon rises. The moon will be bright on the 17th, and once it rises, it will light up the night sky, washing out nearly all but the brightest of shooting stars.

A storm system with clouds may wash out some meteor shower viewing in the days leading up to the peak hear in the Appalachians, but as Thursday approaches the storm system should the region with high pressure building in.  This should lead to crystal clear and chilly nights for at least a few hours of searching the skies for shooting stars.

November Leonids Meteor Shower Set Streak Across Night Sky

Daytime temperatures are steadily falling and nights are getting colder.  In November, the Leonid Meteor Shower makes an appearance with streaks of light blazing across the night sky.  The 2010 Leonid Meteor Shower can be viewed on the evening of November 17th and the 18th.  This is when the Leonid Meteor Shower is expected to peak.  You can also check the sky during the early morning hours up to a few nights before the meteor shower peaks to catch a few Leonid Meteors.  

At the meteor showers peak, you can expect to see about 40 meteors per hour during this year's Leonid Meteor shower. The Moon will be  approaching its full phase, so will hinder the amount of meteors that will be seen.  This year's moon will have a direct effect on the amount of Leonid Meteors seen, so it is best to get out after the moon has set, very early in the morning for most locations.  This is when the sky will be at its darkest point.