At 9:16 p.m., the space station will appear in the western sky. It will be at its highest point in the southwestern sky at 9:17 p.m., then disappear out of view to the south at 9:19 p.m.

About 10 minutes later, a supply space vessel will go on the same path.

The Japanese Space Agency earlier this week launched the H-II Transfer Vehicle Kounotori on a five-day trip. Kounotori means “white stork” or the purveyor of joyful things in Japanese, which is appropriate because the HTV-5 is delivering much-needed supplies to the space station.

Unlike other vehicles that periodically visit the space station, the HTV-5 has solar panels wrapped around its body. This can lend itself to some pretty bright flares at it passes overhead. The HTV-5 will be fainter than the brilliant ISS, but still visible to the naked eye.

The HTV-5 will appear a bit lower in the southwestern sky than the ISS. It will appear at about 9:24 p.m. and then disappear in the southern sky 2 minutes later, so you’ll have to look quick!

Some states will have a clearer view than others, while others may have the opportunity to see the space station on other days. Visit NASA's SpotTheStation page to enter your location for specific viewing details.

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