COURTESY NASA
On Monday, the International Space Station will rise in the northwest and pass briefly to the left of the Big Dipper before disappearing between the handle of the dipper and the bright star Arcturus, also known as Hokule‘a. The station will make several bright appearances in island skies this week, weather permitting.
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The International Space Station will make several bright appearances in island skies this week, weather permitting.
At 8:46 p.m. Monday, the space station will rise in the northwest and pass briefly to the left of the Big Dipper before disappearing between the handle of the dipper and the bright star Arcturus, also known as Hokule‘a. That pass will last about two minutes.
At 7:54 p.m. Tuesday, the space station will rise in the northwest and bank to the right, passing between the North Star and the pointer stars of the dipper. It will pass below the bright star Vega, very near the star Deneb in the constellation Cygnus the Swan. It will then blink out of sight in the east below Altair in Aquila the Eagle at about 7:59 p.m.
At 8:38 p.m. Wednesday, the station will rise in the northwest and bank to the left, passing very near Jupiter and the bright star Spica low in the western horizon. In Hawaiian, Spica is called Hikianalia.
It will disappear in the southwest at about 8:42 p.m.
At 7:46 p.m. Thursday, the station will rise in the northwest and again move to the left, but higher this time. Two minutes or so later, it will pass above Jupiter and Spica and below Arcturus.
It will then pass below Scorpius and Saturn before blinking out in the south at about 7:51 p.m.