Taking the dog out to pee in the early morning when still dark.

I look up and see a plane and beyond that something else is sliding across the sky.

A satellite – cool – that is not a plane.

How do you know?

1. Looks like a star moving at the speed of a plane*

*(yes turbo geeks – I know it is much faster and much higher up than a plane – but those ratios line up to make it “appear” the same speed to the observer. Everything is relative – Einstein said that!!! So there!)

2. No flashing lights on a satellite.

That is it people — You are a satellite hunter – go forth and catch one!

There is a great website where you can track these things.

http://www.heavens-above.com/

You put in your location and then you get a map with predictions of all the things that orbit bright enough to see– this means I could check the chart and find out that a soviet rocket body launched in 1984 just flew over me and my dog.

Hint: If it is straight up in the sky above your head — you are looking for the magic 80 degree number to help you narrow it down.

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I drew my little not to scale map because it got me thinking how I look from up there – A random non-descript person with a huskie/corgi  dog. Outside looking up – The sun has to be at the right angle to light this rocket for me to catch it. I am alive on the planet earth. I am somebody and me and my dog are ok.

This is a big deal – to realize how special it is to be involved in the grand scheme of the universe in a moment. Which by the way — is every single moment!

We only get so many of them.

I am a lucky man.

I am.

Notes: My next post will be the cave re-launch post – I am trying something new which means fixing all the typos and glitches before I publish.

Thanks for the support and happy existing everyone!