Sight Space Station

Space Industry & Policy

The Other Space Stations: A Watcher's Guide to the Orbital Outposts Beyond the ISS

The ISS gets most of the headlines, but it's no longer the only crewed laboratory circling Earth — and it won't be for much longer. From China's rapidly expanding Tiangong station to a wave of commercial platforms on the drawing board, the orbital neighborhood is getting crowded in the most fascinating way possible. Here's what's up there, why it matters, and how amateur observers can start tracking the new generation of space stations.

Sep 4, 2026

Observation Guides

The Seasonal Stargazer's Playbook: When and Where to Catch the ISS at Its Brightest

The ISS doesn't shine equally for everyone, and it definitely doesn't shine equally all year long. Understanding how the seasons, your latitude, and a few tricks of orbital geometry interact can turn a frustrating string of missed passes into a reliable viewing habit. Here's how to think strategically about when to look up — no matter where you live in the US.

Sep 4, 2026

Observation Guides

Your Backyard, the ISS, and the Clock That Never Quite Repeats Itself

Ever wonder why the International Space Station blazes across your sky on Tuesday night but completely ghosts you by Friday? The answer lies in some surprisingly elegant orbital physics — and once you understand it, you'll never miss a pass again.

Sep 3, 2026

Space Industry & Policy

A Sky Full of Satellites: How Megaconstellations Are Dimming the Future of Astronomy

SpaceX, Amazon, and a growing list of tech players are filling low Earth orbit with thousands of satellites — and professional astronomers say the damage to ground-based science is already real. Here's what's at stake, who's pushing back, and what you can do about it.

Sep 3, 2026