Tracking Santa...

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

Berk on a Bike

Veteran
Location
Yorkshire
Up until a few years ago my children were entranced by that website. Good times.
 

Brandane

Legendary Member
Location
Costa Clyde
He did this last year too, and it worries me. He always seems to start in New Zealand and then slowly wanders west before reaching us about 12 hours later. Why? Surely it would be fairer to start in diffferent places each year? He might run out of toys, or be left with junk by the time he gets here! :cry:

Concerned of Ayrshire.

(Only kidding, boys and girls. I know the elves have been really busy to make sure there is plenty for everyone :thumbsup:).
 
OP
OP
buggi

buggi

Bird Saviour
Location
Solihull
Yes that's right, the international space station is due to pass over at 5.20 and its a good long pass so if the skies are clear your kids will get a good view of "Santa". You can download an ISS tracker app. For those of you that can't, the coordinates are:
Start Time: 17:20
Altitude: 13o
Azimuth: W(271o)

Middle time (highest in the sky): 17:23
Altitude: 42o
Azimuth: S (202o)

End time: 17:26
Altitude 10o
Azimuth: SE (131o)

For those without an app or can't understand coordinates, go outside at about 5.18 pm and look up at about a 45 degree angle, south west, and scan the sky for a large moving star. If its flashing, that is not it, that's a plane. It doesn't flash it just looks like a bright star moving slowly through the sky. Fingers crossed.
 

coffeejo

Ælfrēd
Location
West Somerset
I understand the Santa tracking thing (even if it's a bit stalkerish!), but I'm puzzled by the sudden compulsion to pretend that the ISS is anything other than the ISS. My friend's little boy was fascinated with the idea of a space station and waving at people so very far away from the earth.

Not being a humbug, just curious.
 

TVC

Guest
I understand the Santa tracking thing (even if it's a bit stalkerish!), but I'm puzzled by the sudden compulsion to pretend that the ISS is anything other than the ISS. My friend's little boy was fascinated with the idea of a space station and waving at people so very far away from the earth.

Not being a humbug, just curious.
Yeahbut it's Santa. :hello:
 
OP
OP
buggi

buggi

Bird Saviour
Location
Solihull
I understand the Santa tracking thing (even if it's a bit stalkerish!), but I'm puzzled by the sudden compulsion to pretend that the ISS is anything other than the ISS. My friend's little boy was fascinated with the idea of a space station and waving at people so very far away from the earth.

Not being a humbug, just curious.
Because that's fine any other time of year but its kind of convenient if your kids believe in Santa that it happens to pass over on Christmas eve as it adds a little more excitement to the proceedings. That is the point of pretending it's Santa.
 

sight-pin

Veteran
Cool, hope he has plenty of bikes on board lol
Another nice night sky sight is looking out for iridium flares, you can track iridium satellites along with many others including the iss Here. http://www.heavens-above.com/
Stick your co-ords in etc and it'll tell you when and where to look in the night sky, as they only last a second or two but they're great to see and time/
 
Top Bottom