Updated Jun. 1, 2020 7:53 PM
The International Space Station (ISS) is the largest human-made object to fly in outer space and can be seen from anywhere around the world when the conditions are right.
The football field-sized space station flies 250 miles above Earth’s surface at a speed of around 17,500 mph. It serves as a large space laboratory and has been continuously inhabited since Nov. 2, 2000.
While some may think it may be too small to see without a telescope, it is one of the easiest objects to find in the night sky with the unaided eye.
“You can't miss the ISS, even in urban areas, as it is as bright as Venus [the third brightest natural object in the sky],“ AccuWeather Astronomy Blogger Dave Samuhel said.
“It will appear like a plane at first, but you will notice the steady movement without flashing lights as it grows brighter,“ Samuhel said.
Although the ISS is always orbiting the Earth, it is not always visible to the unaided eye and requires a small amount of planning, and cloud-free weather, to spot.
The International Space Station (ISS) is seen traveling left to right in this 127 sec. exposure at dawn over Tyler, Texas, Tuesday, Dec. 5. 2006. NASA has started the countdown for the launch of the Space Shuttle Discovery Thusday night, on a mission to the ISS. (AP Photo/Dr. Scott M. Lieberman)
“The space station is visible because it reflects the light of the Sun – the same reason we can see the Moon,” NASA said.
“However, unlike the Moon, the space station isn’t bright enough to see during the day. It can only be seen when it is dawn or dusk at your location,” NASA said.
Additionally, the ISS cannot be seen when it is flying through Earth's shadow since there is no sunlight for it to reflect back down to Earth.
How to know when to look for the ISS in the night sky
Whether or not the space station will be visible on a given day depends on its orbit and at what time of day it passes overhead.
There are many websites and cell phone apps that can be used to notify onlookers when the ISS will be visible.
This includes NASA’s Spot The Station website which lists every time the ISS will be visible for a given location over the next two weeks.
Each time the station passes overhead is different. On some passes, it is very dim and is not visible for long, while other times it is incredibly bright and visible for over five minutes.
Those planning to look for the ISS should plan to view it on a night when it will be in the sky for a longer period of time. Not only are these passes brighter, but the station will also be visible higher in the sky.
Additionally, people should check the AccuWeather Astronomy weather forecast for their area to see if clouds will interfere with viewing conditions.
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While a telescope is not needed to spot the station, those with a good telescope and proper equipment can look for it when it passes across the face of the moon or sun.
Seeing the ISS pass in front of the sun or moon, known as a transit, takes a fair amount of planning and will likely require some travel. It also requires precise timing as the space station will fly across the face of the sun or moon in the blink of an eye.
Those trying to see the ISS as it transits the sun will also need to ensure that they have the proper safety equipment as looking at the sun through a telescope without the proper
During the 2017 total solar eclipse, some photographers traveled to very specific locations in the United States so they could witness the ISS transit the sun during a partial phase of the solar eclipse.
The International Space Station passing in front of the partially eclipsed sun on Aug. 21, 2017. (Photo/NASA/Joel Kowsky)
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