help with heavens above

[orionbman]

Newbie question here. I don't understand how to read the times on Heavens Above for the predictions. They give it in UTC time(i think) and I'm having trouble understanding what that time would correspond to me. I live in the middle of Minnesota. Any help is appreciated, I'm looking forward to figuring this out and going satellite watching! Thanks.

 

[nexium]

The advice of Shuttle guy will work for most applications of www.heavensabove.com I think Minesota is central time, six hours later than UTC time which used to be called Grenwich mean time. I'm unsure if you should add or subtract an hour for daylight savings time. Neil

 

[orionbman]

ok, I understand now that heavens-above displays the predicted satellite time in my local time, which is -5 from UTC. New quesiton: How do I convert my time into something I understand? For example, the next Iridium flare is supposed to be on Oct. 1st, at 19:10:16 in my local time. How do I use that?

 

[CalliArcale]

Cool, another Minnesotan! I'm over in Bloomington. <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /><br /><br />Heavens Above has converted your time to Central Daylight Time, but it gives it on the 24-hour clock ("military time"). 00:15 would be 12:15AM. 12:15 is 12:15PM. For times past 12:59, subtract 12 and append "PM". 19:00 is thus 7PM.<br /><br />Tomorrow evening, when your clock reads 7:10, look for the Iridium flare. <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> (Actually, look early; those predictions have some wiggle in them, because the flares are a little bit chaotic.)<br /><br />Quick note: we are currently -5 from UTC, but that'll end on October 30. Then we'll be -6 UTC, when we go to Central Standard Time. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#666699"><em>"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly . . . timey wimey . . . stuff."</em>  -- The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>

 

[CalliArcale]

Heavens Above really does an amazing job, doesn't it? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#666699"><em>"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly . . . timey wimey . . . stuff."</em>  -- The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>