International Space Station
Several weeks ago I mentioned during a newscast that the International Space Station would be passing overhead. I was pleasantly surprised by the positive viewer feedback I received from people watching. If you have never been able to track and watch the space station pass overhead on a clear night, then you need to make plans to see it!
The best way to ensure you see the space station is to be exactly sure when it is going to pass overhead and where to look.
Find out when it will pass here: http://spotthestation.nasa.gov
The space station doesn’t cross over the exact same area as it orbits the planet. I personally have spotted the station as it moves north across our hemisphere and back south toward the southern hemisphere.
Shot I took of the ISS. This is a 10 second exposure, creating the streak.
Typically the window of opportunity to see the space station will be just after sunset and before sunrise. This is because the space station has not passed into darkness (or experienced sunset) at around 220 miles above our heads. It will appear as a steadily moving, often bright star. There are no lights visible on the space station, so any blinking lights you spot will be aircraft.
You may also spot other satellites crossing the sky. That’s why it’s very important to know exactly what direction to look and when.
According to NASA’s website, “the space station, including its large solar arrays, spans the area of a U.S. football field, including the end zones, and weighs 924,739 pounds. The complex now has more livable room than a conventional six-bedroom house, and has two bathrooms, a gymnasium and a 360-degree bay window.”
Now get out there, and check it out!