On our way

Yesterday at work, I set up the live cast of the CRS-8 launch on the big TVs in the kitchen:

There were a lot of people watching with me. The footage from the rocket was absolutely amazing...but of course, the landing was spectacular. I found myself swearing with amazement, over and over again, I'm sure much to the amusement of my coworkers.

I'm fortunate enough that there are a string of evening ISS flyovers happening for me right now, and Heavens Above has tracking info for the Dragon as well. Sure enough, there was one tonight just before 10pm.

I went out to a local baseball field with 10x50 binoculars; nothing at all resembling a dark sky, but of course it was enough to catch the ISS as it rose. At first I thought it might be the Dragon -- it was faint and looked smaller through the binos than I've seen it previously. Of course, most times I see it much higher in the sky (and thus closer, larger & brighter). As it rose, it became apparent that it was indeed the ISS. It went slowly through the Pleiades (now that was pretty!) and right by Menkalinan (Beta Aurigae). But where was Dragon?

I stopped following the ISS with the binos and let it rise out of view -- and just a few seconds later, following almost exactly on the same track, a dim satellite came into view. Dragon! It was maybe two degrees further from the ISS than would fit in the FOV of the binos. I followed it along until nearly the zenith, then tried to catch it with the naked eye. Sure enough, there it was -- maybe 4th mag or so, much dimmer than the ISS but still visible. Although it was harder to see this way, it was so much more wonderful -- it was so obviously in pursuit of the ISS. It's amazing to see a supply ship on its way to a space station. I like living in the future.