Last chance to see the International Space Station in the NJ sky

Sunday night, my daughter took a kayak ride on the lake behind our house. As it got dark, she noticed a man standing on his dock looking up at the sky.

He asked her if she was out there to check out the International Space Station. She said no, she just lost track of time and was late getting back in.

He told her he’s been watching the International Space Station fly overhead over the New Jersey sky all week long.

It will be visible at least one last time tonight over the New Jersey sky.

It looks like a very slow-moving shooting star. You can tell it’s not an airplane because of the lack of a flashing light.

It’s cool to think that there are humans hundreds of miles above our head — that are doing work and collecting data in a small space station that you can actually see with the naked eye flying overhead.

The International Space Station (ISS) is the largest human-made object to fly in space and can be seen from anywhere around the world when the conditions are right.

The football field-sized space laboratory flies 250 miles above Earth’s surface at a speed of around 17,500 mph and has been continuously crewed by astronauts since Nov. 2, 2000, according to Accuweather.

International Space Station viewing conditions are favorable several times a month, providing skywatchers of all ages the opportunity to see one of NASA's biggest achievements by just taking a few short steps outside.

Photo by Aubrey Gemignani/NASA via Getty Images

Here is the official viewing time from NASA.

Although the ISS is always orbiting the Earth, it is not always visible and requires a small amount of planning — and cloud-free weather — to spot.

It is definitely a good week to be a skywatcher.

As a bonus, NASA was launching a rocket Tuesday night from its Eastern Virginia Wallops Flight Facility Center. The rocket was set to launch at 8:31 p.m.

The best place to see it here would be anywhere along the Jersey Shore, but with a good pair of binoculars, it can be seen from other parts of the state as well.

It's a great thing for kids and adults alike over the skies of New Jersey this week.

LOOK: 31 breathtaking images from NASA's public library

In 2017, NASA opened the digital doors to its image and video library website, allowing the public to access more than 140,000 images, videos, and audio files. The collection provides unprecedented views of space. Stacker reviewed the collection to select 31 of the most breathtaking images, including the first from the James Webb Space Telescope. Keep reading to see these stunning images, curated with further information about the captured scenes.

LOOK: The states with the most UFO sightings

For each state, we’ve also included details of famous UFO sightings in that state. Of note is that almost three-quarters of all UFO sighting reports in the United States occur between 4 p.m. and midnight, and tend to peak between 9 and 10 p.m. Food for thought next time you're out scoping for alien life. Keep reading to see which states have had the most UFO sightings.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Dennis Malloy only.

You can now listen to Dennis & Judi — On Demand! Hear New Jersey’s favorite best friends anytime, anywhere and any day of the week. Download the Dennis & Judi show wherever you get podcasts, on our free app, or listen right now.

Report a correction 👈 | 👉 Contact our newsroom

Categories: Dennis & Judi, Talking About ...