Assuming an on-time launch tomorrow (Friday at 5:38 p.m. MDT) space shuttle Atlantis may be visible from northern Utah (the further north the better) several times during its planned 12 day flight. Unfortunately most of those chances will be poor with the shuttle staying close to the northern horizon. The situation improves a bit towards mission's end when Atlantis should pass fairly high through our skies the nights of Sunday the 17th and Monday the 18th. Chances of seeing the shuttle from southern Utah are even worse with the first poor chance not coming until Wednesday (see below). Here's data on the first few possible sightings (all times MDT): Saturday the 9th: 9:56 p.m., low in the north for about 1 minute (sure to be watched for during the public star party at the Stansbury Park observatory). Atlantis is set to dock with the International Space Station Sunday afternoon so the following are for the docked shuttle/station: Sunday the 10th: 10:07 p.m., low in the north for less than 1 minute. 11:43 p.m., low in the NNE for less than 1 minute. Monday the 11th: 1:16 a.m., low in the NNW for less than 1 minute. Tuesday the 12th: 12:03 a.m., low in the north to NE for about 1 minute. Wednesday the 13th: 12:24 a.m., 1/4 up the northern sky for less than 1 minute (this pass may be seen from southern Utah, very low in the north). 9:34 p.m., low in the north for less than 1 minute. 11:09 p.m., low in the north to NE for about 2 minutes. To the eye the 75 ton, 27 year old orbiter with its crew of 7, will look like a star drifting slowly across the sky from west to east. This will be the 118th shuttle flight. pw