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NASA's new app 'Spot the Station' gives you the chance to track the ISS live

The International Space Station is visible at dawn or dusk, and opportunities range from once a month to several a week depending on its orbit.

HARTFORD, Conn — From the Starlink satellites to the International Space Station, what we can see floating by in space seems to be getting a lot of attention lately.

Now there’s a new way to keep track, through a must-have app for sky watchers.

The International Space Station has been continuously occupied for 23 years.  Every 24 hours, it makes 16 orbits of the earth, often passing over our heads.

Now, you can be the first in the know, through NASA’s new app.

It’s called Spot the Station, available for both iOS and Android.

Plug in your location, and you’re able to get notifications when the space station is visible overhead.

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There’s a live tracking map to show where the space station is right now, and its projected course as it orbits Earth at 17,500 mph, about 250 miles above Earth’s surface.

There’s also an augmented reality feature, letting you point your phone up in the night sky to find the ISS’ position.

Plus, it’s free of cost, developed by NASA with the goal of bringing science to more people.

The space station is visible because it reflects the light of the sun. It can only be seen at dawn or dusk. So, chances to spot the station range from several a week to only once a month, depending on the timing of its orbit and the sunrise or sunset.

Ryan Breton is a meteorologist at FOX61 News. He can be reached at rbreton@fox61.com. Follow him on FacebookX and Instagram.

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