It's a bird, it's a plane, it's ... the International Space Station! How to spot it in OKC

Meteor showers, auroras, comets and eclipses have all graced the Oklahoma skies this year, satisfying space enthusiasts and star-gazers alike.

But if you look to the skies in the early dawn hours over the next several days, you could catch a glimpse of something else in space — this time, something manmade.

The International Space Station has been orbiting Earth for more than two decades, and if you know where and when to look you might see it flying overhead.

When can I see the International Space Station?

The International Space Station will be visible from Oklahoma City, and across Oklahoma, each morning through Oct. 22.

Just like the Moon, we can see the space station because it reflects the light of the Sun. Because the station isn't bright enough during the day, it can only be seen at dawn or dusk. According to NASA, sighting opportunities in a single location can vary from one a month to several in a week.

You can check sighting opportunities for your location at spotthestation.nasa.gov . Sighting opportunities with a max height of at least 40 degrees are considered the best chance for a viewing as they are visible above most landscapes and buildings.

Here are the sighting opportunities for Oklahoma City between Oct. 16 and Oct. 31:

What is the International Space Station?

The International Space Station is operated by the space agencies of the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada.

It is the world's only microgravity laboratory , and experiments are continually conducted in the subjects of human physiology, radiation, materials science, engineering, biology, fluid physics and technology. The research that takes place on the station can benefit both future space exploration and life back on Earth, according to NASA.

What does the International Space Station look like in the sky?

According to NASA, the station looks like a very fast-moving plane in the sky — except there are no flashing lights and it doesn't change directions.

Also, while planes typically travel at 600 miles per hour, the space station travels at 17,500 miles per hour.

How often does the International Space Station orbit Earth?

Because the station moves so fast, it circles the Earth every 90 minutes. The crew onboard gets 16 sunrises and 16 sunsets every day.