Exact date Brits can see Nasa astronauts' lost tool bag floating in space

20 November 2023 , 15:05

1027     0

The tool bag pictured in space (Image: eol.jsc.nasa.gov/SWNS)

Stargazers will be able to catch a glimpse from the UK of a stray tool bag that was dropped by astronauts on the International Space Station.

One of the best days for Brits to see it will be on Tuesday, and due to the bag shining surprisingly brightly it is almost possible to see it with the naked eye - but will be able to be picked up if you are using binoculars or a telescope.

Essential maintenance work at the ISS meant Nasa astronauts Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral O'Hara had to spend more than six hours floating outside the base. But during their mission they accidentally dropped the toolbox, which has remained in space orbiting a few minutes ahead of the ISS at around 17,000mph.

It is expected to fall back down through the atmosphere in the next few months. The astronauts’ Japanese colleague Satoshi Furukawa even caught the moment the bag drifted away on camera. Whilst trying to capture a photo of Mount Fuji, he inadvertently snapped the apparatus as it moved into oblivion.

Jasmin Moghbeli (left) and Loral O'Hara were working on a NASA mission in space when the toolbox was dropped (NASA Johnson/SWNS)

Luckily, the pair’s mishap didn’t impact their work and NASA confirmed the missing toolbox was no longer needed. Mission Control added that everyone onboard was safe and classified the toolbox as space junk.

Green comet last seen by Neanderthals 50,000 years ago to fly past earth tonight

And for anyone keen to grab a glimpse of it, if you are in the south of the UK you will have a good chance of seeing it between 6.24pm and 6.34pm tomorrow if the weather is fine. But the overall best day to look for it will be on November 24, between 5.30pm and 5.41pm, reported the Telegraph.

The tool bag is visible from Earth (eol.jsc.nasa.gov/SWNS)

The tool bag was spotted by astronomers from the Virtual Telescope Project based in Manciano in Italy. Gianluca Masi stated: “The telescope tracked the extremely fast, 1000″/second, apparent motion of the bag. The object looks like a sharp dot of light in the centre, as the telescope tracked it, so stars left long trails on the background NASA astronauts Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral O’Hara were working on a solar panel when the tool bag was lost.”

Experts at EarthSky say people will be able to spot it from home with just a pair of binoculars. They wrote: “The tool bag is now orbiting Earth just ahead of the International Space Station. It’s surprisingly bright (for a tool bag), shining just below the limit of visibility to the unaided eye at around magnitude +6. That means some sky observers should be able to pick it up with binoculars.”

Tim Hanlon