Look up tonight for clear view of ISS

Like most hurricanes, once Michael passed through the area, it left behind clear blue skies, great for sky watching.

On Friday, the International Space Station (ISS) will rise from the northwest horizon at 7:26 p.m. It will pass nearly directly overhead, setting six minutes later. The ISS is the third brightest object in the sky (behind only the Sun and Moon) and is visible without a telescope or binoculars. It looks like a bright, fast-moving plane.

If your southeast view is relatively clear of trees or buildings, you may notice the ISS gets dimmer as it approaches the horizon. At that point the station is directly over New Orleans and is entering the Earth's shadow. Look for it again at 8:11 p.m., low in the horizon from the west to the south.

On Saturday, look to the west northwest at 7:18 p.m. The station will again pass over the area, a bit dimmer and lower in the sky, but it will still very visible.

Three crew members continue their daily tasks attending to science experiments aboard the station. Most recently they completed repairs of one of the most critical pieces of hardware aboard: the Waste and Hygiene Compartment better known as "the toilet," replacing a faulty pump with an onboard spare.