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How To See Space Station, Spy Satellites, And Other Space Things With Only Your Eyes

Thanks to its orbit and the phase of the moon and perhaps some kind of cosmic symbolism related to the end of the space shuttle program, look up these next two weeks if you live in Europe or North America, and if you're fast enough, you'll be able to...

Thanks to its orbit and the phase of the moon and perhaps some kind of cosmic symbolism related to the end of the space shuttle program, look up these next two weeks if you live in Europe or North America, and if you’re fast enough, you’ll be able to see that giant mansion in space fly overhead without the help of any equipment.

Okay, some equipment.

Spaceweather.com’s Satellite Flybys asks for your zip code (if you live in the United States and Canada) and tells you when and where to look up to see a number of spy satellites, the space shuttle Atlantis, the Space Station and the Hubble Space Telescope. An eponymous app turns your Android or iPhone “into an indispensable, field-tested satellite watching tool,” complete with countdown clock, directions, and a screen dimmer. Star Walk is an impressive augmented reality iPhone and iPad app that lets you look at the sky through your screen, illustrating the flybys, constellations and other heavenly bodies above you in real time. To round out your skywatching diet, don’t not go to Sky And Telescope.

Binoculars will help you spot the recently completed Space Station, which should be making five minute appearances, gliding past as it does at about five miles per second, or 90 minutes per orbit. Just remember to wave at the astronauts.

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