Look Up at 5:41 a.m., It's the International Space Station

Did you know you can see the International Space Station orbiting right over Los Altos? For just a few of minutes, early Sunday morning, is one of those times, so early-risers may get a chance to spy the station with the help of binoculars.

Space buffs know this, and there are a lot in this valley, with NASA Ames just down the road. No special equipment is needed, and, in fact, says Starry Skies Network, which has these viewing tips, a telescope would be an impediment. NASA's Glenn Research Center posts these tips.

Look up at 5:41 a.m. It should be visible for three minutes, appearing in the North-Northwest sky, and disappearing in the Northeast. As the third-brightest object in the sky, NASA promises it is easy to see, if you know where to look. 

So here's where that is. NASA has supplied the following information via "Spot the Shuttle:"

Time: Sun Mar 17 5:41 AM, Visible: 3 min, Max Height: 64 degrees, Appears: NNW, Disappears: NE

 Universe Today has a great beginners' guide to viewing, which explains why you see the station at different times and orientations, and how viewings occur roughly every six weeks.

The Space Station just had a change of command Friday, and three crew members just came down. Expedition 34 Commander Kevin Ford and Flight Engineers Evgeny Tarelkin and Oleg Novitskiy landed their Soyuz TMA-06M spacecraft in the steppe of Kazakhstan, northeast of the remote town of Arkalyk Friday at an estimated time of 11:08 p.m. EST, according to NASA.

If you want alerts of when the space station will be orbiting overhead, sign up for alerts at NASA's "Spot The Station" site. 

If you manage to get a photo, don't forget to share it here.

Also in Los Altos Patch...

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