I have an app on my phone called ISS Finder; it lets you know when the International Space Station will pass visibly overhead, and rates each pass depending on how visible the station will be, and how long it will be visible for.

It gave me an alert this evening just before 5:30 that there would be a pass. Looking at the app showed that it would be a good pass, going directly overhead, running from southwest to northeast, so I went out front to take a look.

It was a good pass. The station appears as a slowly moving star.  It was relatively bright when it came up over the southwestern horizon, and was quite high and bright as it passed overhead, then gradually faded out halfway to the northeastern horizon, as it passed into the earth’s shadow.

The app has a map showing where the station is. I’m not sure exactly how up to date or precise it is, but the station appeared to be overhead just after the map showed it passing us. Assuming the map is accurate, what amazed me is how far away the station was when it came into view. Not only was it around 240 miles up, but it was over the mid-Atlantic states when it came into view, and stayed visible until it was somewhere over Nova Scotia.