There was an amazing pass of ISS overhead tonight. It lasted five whole minutes with a maximum elevation of 65 degrees. However, at Flint with the darkness of being in the country, even its 10 degree initial and 14 degree final elevations were still quite high in the sky. With a magnitude of -3.4 it was brilliantly bright! Most satellites seen in the night sky are a magnitude of 4.5 (weak) to 3.5 (bright). The -3.4 magnitude is due to the size of the ISS (now at Assembly Complete) and looks much like an airplane flying overhead - although with NO blinking lights! Through the binoculars it was absolutely booking and even looked like it was going 17,000 mph!
The picture was taken with only a small Coolpix on sunset setting. I was braced on the split rail fence.
