Ok some folk may not believe me when I explain this photograph. Last night something rare and historic happened over Ireland the ISS or international space station zoomed across the sky, not just once but twice. The reason for me saying its rare, well for one it is not very often you get to see this in Ireland as bright as it was, but also because for the next 2 days we will also get a glimpse of the space shuttle Atlantis chasing it, the STS-117 which launched last night. In about 10 minutes time the ISS will fly over my house again followed by Atlantis 10 minutes later.

Tomorrow should be even more fun because Sunday is the day Atlantis will dock with the station so to the naked eye we should be able to see both craft fly across the sky together getting closer each pass.

The ISS moves in space at 17000 mph so you only get a minute or 2 before it goes out of sight.

Tonights timetable is as follows 10:44 Iss to pass from the south followed 14 minutes later by Atlantis in pretty much the same direction.

At 12:19 ISS will pass again this time from a more westerly direction the shuttle will follow 10 minutes later but may not be as bright.

As I say tomorrow night should be amazing if the clouds stay away with the climax of the chase.