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Look up! The International Space Station is making multiple passes over Northeast Ohio this weekend

It's a bird. It's a plane. Nope! It is actually the International Space Station. How to see it this weekend....

By: Katie McGraw

Posted at 2:41 PM, May 26, 2023

and last updated 2023-05-28 08:47:42-04

CLEVELAND — HEADS UP! Northeast Ohio is in for a treat with multiple passes of the International Space Station over the holiday weekend.

WHERE AND WHEN TO LOOK

SUNDAY: This passing is the longest and earlier in the evening, but it is also the lowest in the sky, which will make it more difficult to see. It will appear in the northwestern part of the sky at 10 degrees. It will move across the sky and set in the eastern part of the sky at 10 degrees above the horizon. The ISS will be visible Sunday night at 9:24 p.m. for six minutes. The max height will be 35 degrees above the horizon, so it will be in the lower half of the sky.

MEMORIAL DAY: This pass will be very similar to Saturday's! The ISS will appear in the west-northwestern part of the sky at 10 degrees. It will move across the sky and set in the south-southeastern part of the sky at 24 degrees above the horizon. The ISS will be visible Monday night at 10:12 p.m. for five minutes. The max height will be 55 degrees above the horizon, directly over our heads is 90 degrees, so it will be about halfway up the sky.

HOW TO FIND IT
For perspective, the horizon is at zero degrees, and directly overhead is 90 degrees. If you hold your fist at arm’s length and place your fist resting on the horizon, the top will be about 10 degrees. The space station looks like an airplane or a very bright star moving across the sky, except it doesn’t have flashing lights or change direction. It will also be moving considerably faster than a typical airplane. It travels at about 17,500 mph! Use the image below to help! In the example below, the max height is 66 degrees.