WASHINGTON, Nov 25, (Agencies): In addition to monitoring the International Space Station, enthusiasts can now observe an unexpected celestial traveler – an astronaut's tool bag. This peculiar phenomenon occurred when NASA astronauts Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral O'Hara were conducting maintenance on the ISS during a spacewalk on Nov 1.

According to the official NASA blog, the tool bag, containing unnecessary tools for the maintenance task, was identified by flight controllers through external station cameras as it drifted away into space. Astronaut Dr Meganne Christian shared footage of the bag's departure on X (formerly known as Twitter), noting that JAXA Astronaut Satoshi Furukawa last spotted it "while floating over Mount Fuji." She humorously added, "The 'Orbital Police' can confirm that the lost EVA gear is being tracked."

Presently, the tool bag is orbiting the Earth approximately one minute ahead of the ISS, as reported by author Dave Dickinson, known for "The Backyard Astronomer’s Field Guide: How to Find the Best Objects the Night Sky has to Offer." Dickinson shared on X, "The object is now listed in the catalog as ID 1998-067WC/58229. The tool bag is a +6th magnitude 'star' currently about a minute ahead of the ISS."

NASA assures that the risk of the tool bag colliding with the station is low, ensuring the safety of the onboard crew and the space station with no required action. Consequently, the tool bag is set to continue its orbital journey and is expected to remain visible for several months before safely burning up in the Earth's atmosphere.

For skywatchers eager to catch a glimpse of this unusual object, NASA's app can help locate the space station. On clear nights, observers armed with binoculars or a telescope may spot the tool bag moving slightly ahead of the space station – appearing as a dim light gracefully traversing the sky just in front of the faster and brighter ISS.