Finally
the weather is improving and time to get outside and enjoy spring. This weekend offers the opportunity to see
the International Space Station (ISS) pass over the area twice. Both passes will be excellent and highly
visible without the aid of binoculars.
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| ISS streaks across the sky. Image Credit: Andreas Möller. |
The
first opportunity to see ISS will be Saturday evening. If you have an unobstructed view of the
southwest horizon, you will be able to see it rise immediately beginning at
9:27 p.m. Most will be able to see ISS
by 9:30 p.m. in the southwest moving toward the northeast. About a minute later it will pass through the
constellation Orion. You might want to
try taking a time exposed picture. It
will reach its maximum altitude at 9:32:52 p.m. about two-thirds above the
northwest horizon. However, just 17
seconds later it will move into the earth’s shadow and disappear. If you are in a dark environment, this can be
quite interesting to watch.
