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Baltimoreans Get A Chance To See The International Space Station This Weekend

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- This weekend comes with a bright spot for Charm City, provided you look up at the right time.

The International Space Station is on course for a Baltimore fly-over.

Even though it's almost 200 miles up, its orbit will take the space station over Baltimore beginning Friday at 7:51 p.m.

"If you're outside at the time it's passing overhead, it's very bright, brighter than most planets," said Jim O'Leary with the Maryland Science Center. "It won't have blinking lights or anything, but it's a bright star-like object streaking across the sky."

Provided clouds aren't in the way.

But there will be two more chances to see the station on Saturday, at 8:35 p.m., and again Sunday evening starting at 7:42 p.m.

It takes perfect timing for the space station to shine.

"It's one of those times the station is flying overhead just around the time of sunset," said O'Leary. "So while it's dark here on the ground, it's still high enough the sun is illuminating it, so you can see it as a sort of fast moving star in the sky."

So fast it will only take about five minutes to pass by.

It will rise in the southwest each evening.

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