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This answer to Has an astronaut ever seen another object in LEO pass by that wasn't mission-related? says:

The encounter happened at longer distances ($\sim47\;km$) and the Shenzhou-7 is smaller than the Tiangong-2 ($9.25\;m$) so the view was not so spectacular from the ISS. Apparently the EVA of Zhai Zhigang (the first Chinese spacewalk in history) happened at the same time as they approached the ISS. We should ask him if he took a moment to see the ISS. (emphasis added)

while the EVA was taking place on Sept. 27, 2008, the SZ-7 spaceship came fairly close (within 47 km) of the International Space Station (ISS)

I don't know how to ask Zhai Zhigang but I do know how to ask a question in Space SE.

Question: Is it at all known if CNSA astronaut Zhai Zhigang see the ISS during an EVA? Would it at least have been possible and/or likely?

uhoh
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    I enlisted some help to research this question in the Chinese language domains, but nothing found thus far. – Ludo Sep 23 '19 at 10:07
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    I suspect there maybe Chinese speakers/readers on https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?board=40.0 – Puffin Nov 05 '22 at 20:43
  • I suspect that even though 47 km is relatively close, it would be too far away to see the ISS. The only way I could imagine him seeing it is if the ISS was in the right position so that the sun light would be reflected off it towards him. Just like on Earth where the ISS is only visible to the naked eye in the evening. – The Rocket fan Nov 07 '22 at 06:46
  • @TheRocketfan "47 km would be too far away to see the ISS." I didn't specify they had to be able to resolve it; seeing a bright dot would count. The ISS is often the brightest thing in the sky when seen from >400 km away on Earth. It's painted with white paint and visible from any direction, and for an orbit passing next to it it would be exposed broadside. So as you point out, the task is simply to check the time and orbits and see if it was sunlit. Thanks! – uhoh Nov 07 '22 at 09:34

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