Wednesday, January 21, 1998

Up in the air -- it's Mir

If you're an early riser, you might still have a chance to glimpse the Russian space station Mir this morning in the sky over Abilene.

Reporter-News contacts at NASA say Mir will be visible for about two minutes beginning at 6:36 a.m. It will appear some 15 degrees above the north-northwest horizon (90 degrees is straight overhead) and be in sight as it travels north-northeast to a height of 38 degrees.

Without advance notice, perhaps you overslept today. But the immediate future affords more chances. Friday morning at 6:15 a.m., the spacecraft will be visible in the northwest sky at 45 degrees for about a minute as it travels toward the east-southeast and reaches a height of 85 degrees before disappearing at 70 degrees.

Then on Saturday at 6:52 a.m., Mir will appear at 15 degrees west-southwest for a minute before vanishing at the same height in the southwest sky.

And next Wednesday, Jan. 28, Abilenians may see Mir at 7:26 p.m. at 20 degrees south for a minute as it travels to 30 degrees southeast.

Those who have watched Mir from the ground say it moves really fast, kind of like a shooting star but much brighter. Let's hope the skies are clear enough for good viewing.