The International Space Station visible July 7 and July 8

Southern and central Arizona can witness two bright passes of the International Space Station (ISS) for a few brief minutes on the evenings of Tuesday July 7 and Wednesday July 8, 2009. The spacecraft will be unmistakably visible as a very bright, moving white star like object at the following times and locations in the sky:

On Tuesday July 7, 2009 ISS should first be visible over 10 degrees in the southern sky at 8:02 p.m. MST moving to the southeast and highest (30 degrees in altitude) at around 8:04 p.m. above the eastern horizon. ISS fading out below the bright star Vega in the east-northeast. ISS will shine at a brightness of magnitude -2.5 or far brighter than any star in the sky. Other parts of the state can also witness this pass, within a few minutes of 8:02 p.m. Click here for a sky chart.

On Wednesday July 8, 2009 ISS will first be visible over 10 degrees in the southwestern sky (and below Saturn) at 8:26 p.m. MST, moving to overhead (51 degrees in altitude) in the northwestern sky and near the Big Dipper at 8:28 p.m. ISS will fade out above the northeastern horizon by 8:30/31 p.m. ISS will shine at a brightness of magnitude -2.9 or far brighter than any star in the sky. Other parts of the state can also witness this pass, within a few minutes of 8:26/8:28 p.m. Click here for a sky chart.

These times may change slightly due to mission changes (large changes unlikely at this time) and are most valid for areas of southern and south-central Arizona near the Tucson and Phoenix metro areas. Observers should look within a few minutes of times given here. Go to heavens-above.com for updated pass data and to find out if the shuttle is visible other areas of the United States and world. Heavens-above.com and many other astronomy and space related Web links may be found on the Flandrau astronomy links Web page.