<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'> Just noticed something you said. So 90* is directly up above my head? which makes me looking almost at were the big dipper will be tonight? i dont know about this degree stuff.. <br />Posted by Cassini12</DIV></p><p> </p><p>Actually, at the time of the ISS pass, the bowl of the big dipper will be at 60 degrees altutude, the bowl is upside down, and the two stars at the end of the bowl furthest away from the handle point downward to the north star.</p><p>I'm not sure how old you are, but you know a 90 degree angle?</p><p>If so it's simple to think about, but harder in practice. The horizon is 0 degrees altitude, straight overhead is 90 degrees. Halfway up in the sky is 45 degrees. Forunately for us, we have a good marker for halfway up, the north star!</p><p>For me, it's at ~ 41 degrees high, for you, about 42.5 degrees high. That's one reason the north star is a key.</p><p>The other is that Polaris is your friend. Unlike everything else in the sky, it's always at the same spot. Noon, Midnight, 6 o'clock Winter,Spring, Summer, and Fall. Always. (Just to be accurate, it does wobble a little, but too little to be concerned about for this discussion.</p><p>If you face the north star, and stick your arms out straight to your sides, your right arm points 90 degrees east, behind you is South 180 degrees, and your left are is 270 degrees due west.</p><p>On the first day of spring the sun rises from your right hand direction, passes behind you over your head, and sets in your left hand direction. The north star, of course does not move.</p><p>For us, the Big Dipper is circumpolar, which means it never goes below the horizon, It spins around the north star; where it is in that circle depends on the season and the time of night. Sometimes (like tonight at midnight) the bowl is perfectly upside down at about 75 degrees altitude. Same with Cassiopea, a W (or 3 or M or E) shape of bright stars the same distance away from the north star.</p><p>At 8:30 it's about 60 degrees high at about 45 degrees to the right of the north star. </p><p>So Polaris, the North Star is your friend. Find it (it will always be in the smae spot) and learn it. Remember, the north star is the only thing that doesn't move. </p><p>I can walk out my house in the middle of the afternoon and point to where the north star is, because I've nearned where that spot is in relation to the trees on the hillside, and how far above the ridge it is.</p><p>You should do the same thing. You'll never regret it, if you are interested in the sky.</p><p> </p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>