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deSitter
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/09/04
Posts: 2925
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The ISS made a spectacular pass tonight in full darkness, reaching 70 degrees altitude before vanishing into orbital sunset. This is always a fantastic sight as the ISS goes from brilliant yellow-white to orange to red to invisible, passing quickly out of daylight in its 200-mile high orbit.
While watching it pass over I had an "AHA!" moment - the color struck me as being identical to Capella - and then it occured to me - of course it does! The Sun and Capella are the same spectral type, G. We take sunlight as the reference for "white", but when seen at night it's not white at all, but distinctly yellow.
Next time you see the ISS pass over, you can muse on the thought - this is how the Sun itself would appear in the sky of Alpha Centauri! like another Capella.
-drl
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star drop
Guilty as Charged
Reged: 02/02/08
Posts: 16164
Loc: Snow Plop, WNY
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It has been many months since I have seen the ISS. The last time I saw it it was indeed yellow in color.
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Ted
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Hrundi
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 02/06/08
Posts: 1228
Loc: Estonia
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Capella has always looked whiteish to me.
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paysonmike
journeyman
Reged: 10/18/09
Posts: 7
Loc: mesa del cabballo 34.17 111.1...
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watched from my front porch it was about 4 min pass the neighbors even saw the statillite first time I saw the color change for me it's always been white 
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loged on formly as fireman mike have a 12" dob with circles and dig. level main eye pieces are hyperion's 8-13-21
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