The Next Hobby

I have an interesting idea for a hobby that should be technically possible now. Why not observe, follow the orbits of, and possibly photograph satellites? Those familiar with amateur astronomy have probably noticed that satellites can periodically be seen going over. A satellite, if seen from the ground, appears as a star that is moving at a steady pace. One way to differentiate a satellite from an aircraft is obviously that the satellite will have no blinking lights. Satellites must be much higher than aircraft so that they will not be destroyed by friction with the atmosphere.

There is a certain window of time each day during which satellites can be seen. It must be after the sun has set and it is dark, but not too long after the sun has set. To be visible, it must be dark where the observer is but the sun must still be shining on the satellite. A satellite would not be visible from the ground in the middle of the night because you would be on the opposite side of the planet from where the sun is shining.

Satellites orbit the earth in either a polar, over the poles, or an equatorial, above the equator, orbit. I live at 43 degrees north, almost halfway to the north pole from the equator. This means that I can see satellites moving along a north-south line in a polar orbit, but I am too far away from the equator to see satellites in an east-west equatorial orbit.

I have seen satellites moving along, until suddenly disappearing from view. The reason is that the earth is rotating and the sun was suddenly no longer shining on the satellite.

One night, there was a full moon. I noticed a satellite moving until it suddenly disappeared. But, on looking closely, I noticed that the satellite was still very faintly visible. I had never noticed this before and it was because the satellite was out of the sun but was reflecting the moonlight.