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Author
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Topic: Was Sputnik-1 visible to the naked eye?
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thump
Member Posts: 575
From: washington dc usa
Registered: May 2004
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posted 12-13-2005 10:26 AM
   
I've heard that it was visible to the naked eye, and I've heard not. So what's the real story? |
Ben
Member Posts: 1896
From: Cape Canaveral, FL
Registered: May 2000
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posted 12-13-2005 10:36 AM
From what I understand, what most people were seeing was actually the upperstage used to kick it into orbit.Sputnik, while visible, would have been very faint. |
collshubby
Member Posts: 591
From: Madisonville, Louisiana
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 12-13-2005 10:40 AM
I read some time ago that yes, it was possible to see Sputnik, but was faint at around magnitude 5 so city folk were pretty much out of luck. My dad says he remembers seeing it and that is was bright, but like it was said above he probably actually saw only the booster. |
spaceuk
Member Posts: 2113
From: Staffs, UK
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 12-13-2005 01:03 PM
Although Sputnik-1 and Explorer 1 long decayed, its interesting to note that Vanguard is still in orbit about the Earth. |
collocation
Member Posts: 383
From: McLean, VA, USA
Registered: Feb 2004
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posted 12-13-2005 02:16 PM
According to a book that I read, you could not see it with the naked eye, but could see Sputnik with binoculars. |
Chris Dubbs
Member Posts: 145
From: Edinboro, PA USA
Registered: Nov 2004
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posted 12-13-2005 07:15 PM
In the book "Roads to Space," Anatoliy Kirillov, Deputy Commander for testing at Baikonur, recalls this scene: We were in the midst of preparing the second satellite for launch. Several dogs, little mongrels dressed in cloth, were running around on the floor, and we lamented the fact that one of them would soon die a gruesome death in orbit. During an interval between tests, someone came rushing into the control room shouting: "Why are you all sitting here? The satellite is about to pass overhead. Come on outside!" Korolev and the members of the state commission, surrounded by test personnel, were standing in the open, waiting for the satellite to climb into the sky... When the satellite did appear, it rose high in the sky as it moved from the south-west toward the north-east. It kept us spellbound for several minutes until it finally vanished. So they saw something with their naked eyes, although it may well have been the booster. |
spaceman1953
Member Posts: 953
From: South Bend, IN
Registered: Apr 2002
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posted 12-15-2005 05:26 PM
My local newspaper, The South Bend Tribune, used to run little pieces when space satellites were flying over.. years (decades) ago, in the Sputnik era.Just like now, all you would see with a naked eye, was (in my recollection) just a star-like light that was moving. |
Rick Boos
Member Posts: 851
From: Celina, Ohio
Registered: Feb 2000
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posted 12-23-2005 07:29 AM
I remember seeing it but I can not remember if it was with the naked eye or with binoclars. It could well have been the booster tumbling that I saw. I also remember going out seeing Echo 1 and Echo 2 and Skylab. It was really a big deal back then. |
Chris Dubbs
Member Posts: 145
From: Edinboro, PA USA
Registered: Nov 2004
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posted 12-25-2005 05:30 AM
It is a little misleading to make a distinction between seeing the upper stage of the rocket and the satellite, since they remained connected. |
Ben
Member Posts: 1896
From: Cape Canaveral, FL
Registered: May 2000
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posted 12-25-2005 04:09 PM
Sputnik did not remain connected (nor do all but a small number of satellites).The reentry times for Sputnik and its upper stage were a few months apart. |
FFrench
Member Posts: 3161
From: San Diego
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 12-25-2005 04:39 PM
Chris, I think you are thinking of Sputnik 2, where that did happen. |
Chris Dubbs
Member Posts: 145
From: Edinboro, PA USA
Registered: Nov 2004
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posted 12-26-2005 05:15 AM
Oops. Quite right. I was thinking of Sputnik 2. Apologies. |
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