NASA texts tell you how to see space station

NASA just made it easier to catch a glimpse of the International Space Station the largest manmade structure in space as it soars across the night sky. The best part: no telescope required.

The space agency has launched a new free service called "Spot the Station" that allows observers to sign up for e-mail alerts or text messages whenever the space station may be visible overhead, weather permitting. The messages, which will be sent out a few hours before the actual sighting opportunity, are tailored for an observer's location based on their home country, state and city, NASA officials explained in a statement.

"As the thirdbrightest object in the sky, after the sun and moon, the space station is easy to see if you know where and when to look for it," NASA officials wrote. "The space station looks like a fast-moving plane in the sky, though one with people living and working aboard it more than 200 miles above the ground. It is best viewed on clear nights." [ Photos: Spotting Satellites & Spaceships from Earth ]

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With a wingspan the size of a football field, the International Space Station is the biggest artificial structure in space today. It can be easily spotted from Earth with the unaided eye, but only if you know exactly when and where it will appear in the sky.

Station sighting opportunities from 4,600 locations around the world are identified twice a week at NASA's space station Mission Control Center at the Johnson Space Center in Texas. The Spot the Station service will send out alerts for only the best sighting opportunities, when the space station is relatively high in the night sky and makes a long pass overhead, NASA officials said.

"This will be anywhere from once or twice a week to once or twice a month, depending on the space stations orbit," NASA officials explained. "Dont worry if there are big gaps in between sightings!"

You can sign up for NASA's Spot the Station alerts here: http://spotthestation.nasa.gov/.

The Spot the Station service is not the only way to find out how to see the space station in the night sky. The Twitter-based Twisst ISS Alerts service sends out automated Twitter messages to users during prime space station sightings over their locations.

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NASA texts tell you how to see space station