6 people over Rochester

[Shaky]

At 5:27 pm ET this evening, the International Space Station and its crew of 6 will pass almost directly over Rochester*. If the partly cloudy skies allow it, residents will be able to see the station as it passes over the Northeast US and Canada.

It will appear as a bright yellow-white "star" in the west-southwest 35 degrees above the horizon (about 3-4 fist heights held at arm's length) and rise steadily until overhead and then on toward the northeast where it will set. The pass will last about 4 minutes.

While the station is moving at 17,500 mph, it will appear to fly overhead at the speed of an airliner at cruising altitude. But don't confuse it with any jets that happen to be passing overhead. Their lights blink on and off. The ISS will be a steady bright light (well, bright for a star) from the sun reflecting off its surfaces 250 miles above the Earth.

* It will pass directly over Buffalo and Albion. Viewing time and angles are approximately the same.