Updated Flyby Alert: Space Shuttle Visible Above Northport

The Space Shuttle Discovery undocked from the International Space Station this morning after 11 days in orbit.

This sets the stage for a spectacular series of double flyby sighting opportunities here tonight, according to NASA.

The station and shuttle will be flying over Northport Monday and Tuesday, appearing in the night sky as a closely-spaced pair of bright lights. The ISS will be visible alone Wednesday and Thursday after the Discovery lands.

The ISS is the biggest, brightest object orbiting Earth. The station's solar arrays span 240-feet from tip to tip, almost as wide as a football field. The ISS outshines Venus; only the sun and Moon are brighter.

The viewing schedule is as follows:

• Monday night both should be visible for several minutes by looking WNW beginning at:6:57 p.m. and 'in transit,' meaning shining most brightly at 6:59 p.m.;
• Tuesday, both will be visible beginning at 7:23 p.m. and in transit at 7:26 p.m.
• Wednesday just the International Space Shuttle will be visible beginning at 6:14 p.m. and in transit at 6:17 p.m.
• Thursday again just the International Space shuttle will be visible beginning 6:4o p.m. and in transit at 6:43 p.m. 

This is also a last chance to see Discovery in flight, because the orbiter will be retired after landing in Florida on Wednesday, March 9. 

Incidentally, the husband of U.S. Represenative Gabby Giffords, D-Arizona, Mark Kelly, is preparing the final planned flight of space shuttle Endeavour with a target launch date of April 19. His twin brother Scott was the commander on this Discovery mission.

On Jan. 8, Giffords was a victim of a shooting near Tucson at a Safeway supermarket where she was meeting publicly with constituents. She suffered a gunshot wound to the head. Six people were killed and another 13 injured in the shooting. Giffords is in a rehabilitation facility in Houston. 

Editor's Note: An earlier version of this article incorrectly identified Giffords' husband. Patch regrets the error.