The first three flybys can be seen anywhere with open access to the sky, such as a roof deck terrace, the JFK Street Bridge or next to the River Houses along Memorial Drive. Mir will rise above the Harvard Business School and Soldiers' Field and then cross over the Charles River before disappearing behind the River Houses.

Those seeking the ultimate Mir encounter can even talk directly with the cosmonauts and one astronaut aboard. Using simple, handheld radios, licensed individuals can make contact with Mir by pointing the radio directly at the station.

Despite the distance, the clarity of the audio signal is quite good, Watson says.

"It sounds just like you're having a phone conversation," she says. "I've known people who had hand-held radios and who were able to talk to them as they passed above."

The Harvard Wireless Club has made contact several times with people aboard Mir.

Sameer A. Sheth '98, president of the Harvard Wireless Club, says the conversations are "usually pretty short."

"It's hard to maintain contact for too long," he says. "I think [the two parties] just exchange pleasantries."