See The International Space Station Over Boise Now Through April 12th, Here’s How
Does Astronomy, space and the beyond fascinate you? Of course it does, you would not have clicked and started reading. I studied astronomy and astrophysics in school and used to get lost in time stargazing, studying and learning about what is beyond earths atmosphere. Being an astronaut is, or at least used to be a pretty classic answer for most kids when asked, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Even though most of us didn't become astronauts ourselves we can admire those that did make the childhood dream come true.
NASA has a Spot the Station website that tracks the International Space Station as it travels around the globe. "Watch the International Space Station pass overhead from several thousand worldwide locations. It is the third brightest object in the sky and easy to spot if you know when to look up. Visible to the naked eye, it looks like a fast-moving plane only much higher and traveling thousands of miles an hour faster!"
They share where it can be easily seen from the sky, when and over what cities. Well Boise, The International Space Station just became visible over our skies and will be able to be spotted until April 12th.
According to spotthestation.com/nasa.gov, "All sightings will occur within a few hours before or after sunrise or sunset. This is the optimum viewing period as the sun reflects off the space station and contrasts against the darker sky."
Here are the best times and if you have a telescope the best positions in the sky to set it for maximum visibility.
Did you know we have a home grown Idaho Astronaut who has been to the International Space Shuttle? James F. Reilly from Mountain Home went on three space shuttle missions during his career from 1994 to 2008. According to the NASA website, "These missions included the transport of important equipment for other stations, the retrieval of astronauts from different expeditions, and performing construction and repair on the International Space Station."