By JOHN DUNLOP*
Earth's permanent home in space will make several passes over New Zealand this weekend and should be easily visible if the weather stays clear.
The International Space Station is a space laboratory which is being assembled in stages. It orbits the Earth every 90 minutes at a height
of about 400km, travelling at 28,000km/h.
On Friday and Saturday keen observers can spot it twice each morning and evening.
The space station (ISS) looks like a slow-moving star. It is especially bright and easy to spot when high overhead.
To see a satellite you must be in darkness and it must be in the sunlight. This happens only in the hour or two before dawn or after sunset.
It should be visible in the Auckland region at various times between about 3.30am tomorrow and about 10.30pm on Saturday.
Check the Stardome website for the latest NZ-wide times, and be watching a few minutes early just in case.
You can check out the Space Station audiovisual and model at the Stardome Observatory on One Tree Hill, Wednesday to Saturday nights, Ph 624 1246.
* John Dunlop is information and senior education officer at the Stardome Observatory.
Stardome
