Astronomy for Kids: How to Explore Outer Space with Binoculars, a Telescope, or Just Your Eyes! by Betts Dr. Bruce

Author:Betts, Dr. Bruce [Betts, Dr. Bruce]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Rockridge Press
Published: 2018-10-29T16:00:00+00:00

>> OCCASIONAL SIGHTS

> A 2010 picture of the International Space Station taken from the Space Shuttle Atlantis during the STS-132 mission.

INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION

The International Space Station (ISS) looks like an extremely bright star moving across the sky. It can be as bright as Venus. It looks like a plane but has no blinking or colored lights. What we are seeing is sunlight reflecting off the space station. The only time we can see it is when the ISS is in sunlight and we on the Earth’s surface are in darkness, which usually occurs in the first 2 or 3 hours after sunset or the 2 or 3 hours just before dawn.

The ISS is a science laboratory in space. It orbits about 200 miles (about 400 kilometers) above the surface of the Earth. There have been people on the ISS since the year 2000. Each person generally spends a few months onboard. There are usually six people on the ISS at a time, so when you see it flying over, think about the people who are living and working up there.

To know when and where to look for the ISS, you need predictions of the timing for your city or a nearby city. See the Resources section to find out where you can get these predictions. You can also see other satellites orbiting the Earth—there are websites and apps that predict those as well—but the ISS is usually the brightest, so it’s the best satellite to start with.

> THAT’S SO COOL!

The International Space Station is about the size of a football field (including its large solar panels and numerous laboratory modules).

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