Updated 05/08/1997 from "ftp://archive.afit.af.mil/pub/space/tle.992". The following predictions are valid for a terrestrial latitude of (+)37.09 North, longitude (-)76.38 West, the location of Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia. The times given are Eastern Daylight Time.
On 05/11, civil twilight begins at 5:27 a.m., sunrise at 6:00 a.m.
(Mir) Sunday, 05/11/97. A south to east transit from 5:35 to 5:37 a.m. Peak elevation will occur in the southeastern sky at 5:36, about 26 degrees above the horizon. Orbital altitude 385 km.
Result - Overcast.
(Mir) Tuesday, 05/13/97. A southwest to northeast transit from 5:16 to 5:20 a.m. Peak elevation will occur in the southeastern sky at 5:18, about 64 degrees above the horizon. Orbital altitude 385 km.
Result - Mir observed on time.
(Mir) Wednesday, 05/14/97. A south to east transit from 4:20 to 4:22 a.m. Peak elevation will occur in the southeastern sky at 4:21, about 23 degrees above the horizon. Orbital altitude 384 km.
Result - Mir observed on time.
(Atlantis) - Shuttle Atlantis (STS-84) is scheduled to liftoff for rendezvous with the Russian Space Station Mir on May 15th at approximately 04:07 a.m. EDT. The launch window will only be about 10 minutes in length. The best way to determine the exact time of launch is to listen to an overnight news television channel covering the launch. Approximately 3 minutes after liftoff, the Atlantis main engine plumes will become visible in the southeastern sky about 8 degrees above the horizon. The plumes are not steady, but have an irregular flashing profile (about 1 Hz) as Atlantis travels up the US east coast during the boost phase of the flight. When east-southeast from our location, Shuttle Atlantis will make her closest approach at 175 miles and reach a maximum elevation of about 14 degrees. At this time the main engine plume shape and reddish-orange colors may be easily distinguished with binoculars. The plumes will be pointed in a downward direction with respect to the direction of ascent. Shuttle Atlantis will then begin to descend into the northeast sky and will disappear for a few seconds after main engine cutoff. A few seconds later a brief bright flash will occur, which is the jettisoning of the external tank. (The solid rocket boosters are jettisoned about 2.2 minutes after liftoff, and thus not visible to us).
Result - Overcast.
The Russian Space Station Mir will be observed approximately 45 minutes later in the northwest sky (see below).
(Mir) Thursday, 05/15/97. A west to northeast transit from 4:59 to 5:02 a.m. Peak elevation will occur in the northwestern sky at 5:00, about 52 degrees above the horizon. Orbital altitude 385 km.
Result - Mir observed briefly through break in clouds.
One opportunity for observing Mir and Atlantis on a closing course will occur (see below).
(Mir/Atlantis) Friday, 05/16/97. A southwest to east transit from 4:01 to 4:05 a.m. Peak elevation will occur in the southeastern sky at 4:03, about 56 degrees above the horizon. Orbital altitude 384 km. Note - Mir will not enter sunrise until in the southeastern sky at 04:03:21, about 60 degrees above the horizon. Shuttle Atlantis may be trailing Mir by about 5-15 minutes and will enter sunrise in the southern sky.
Result - Mir not observed, but Shuttle Atlantis entered sunrise directly overhead at 04:17:20, approximately 14 minutes behind Space Station Mir.
Shuttle Atlantis docking with the Russian Space Station Mir occurred on May 16, 1997 at 10:35 p.m. EDT.
(Mir/Atlantis) Saturday, 05/17/97. A northwest to north transit from 4:42 to 4:43 a.m. Peak elevation will occur in the northwestern sky at 4:42, about 26 degrees above the horizon. Orbital altitude 384 km. Note - Shuttle Atlantis and the Russian Space Station Mir should be docked and will be a very bright object.
Result - Mir and Shuttle Atlantis observed on time. The estimated combined magnitude was about -1.