International Space Station

ISS observation

When can I spot the Space Station?

Observing of the International Space Station

The International Space Station (ISS) can easily be spotted with the naked eye. Because of its size (110m x 100m x 30m), it reflects a large amount of sunlight.

The best time to observe the ISS is when it is nighttime at your location, and the Space Station is sunlit. Often, such a viewing situation occurs in the morning before sunrise, or in the evening after sunset.

Visible ISS passes over New York City

You find a list of the next sighting opportunities for New York City below. The green bars indicate the brightness of the ISS on its pass.

The list contains all visible passes of the ISS during the next ten days. Please click on a pass to get more details.

Past ISS passes

Thu, Feb 27, 2020

► Begin
04:38:12 AM EST		 Dur.
2:10		 -2.1 mag
Thu, Feb 27, 2020 Begin Max. End
Time (EST) 04:38:12 AM 04:38:12 AM 04:40:22 AM
Direction NNE NNE NE
Altitude 34° 34° 10°
Brightness -2.1 mag -2.1 mag
The grey circle indicates the area where the Space Station is at least 10° above the horizon.
The red line shows where the ISS is sunlit and visible.
On the blue line the ISS is in the Earth's shadow and invisible or it is less than 10° above the horizon or the sky is not dark enough to see the ISS.
► Begin
06:12:28 AM EST		 Dur.
4:10		 -0.9 mag
Thu, Feb 27, 2020 Begin Max. End
Time (EST) 06:12:28 AM 06:14:33 AM 06:16:38 AM
Direction NW NNW NNE
Altitude 10° 15° 10°
Brightness -0.9 mag -0.9 mag
The grey circle indicates the area where the Space Station is at least 10° above the horizon.
The red line shows where the ISS is sunlit and visible.
On the blue line the ISS is in the Earth's shadow and invisible or it is less than 10° above the horizon or the sky is not dark enough to see the ISS.

Fri, Feb 28, 2020

► Begin
03:52:32 AM EST		 Dur.
0:16		 -0.6 mag
Fri, Feb 28, 2020 Begin Max. End
Time (EST) 03:52:32 AM 03:52:32 AM 03:52:48 AM
Direction NE NE NE
Altitude 12° 12° 10°
Brightness -0.6 mag -0.6 mag
The grey circle indicates the area where the Space Station is at least 10° above the horizon.
The red line shows where the ISS is sunlit and visible.
On the blue line the ISS is in the Earth's shadow and invisible or it is less than 10° above the horizon or the sky is not dark enough to see the ISS.
► Begin
05:25:29 AM EST		 Dur.
3:38		 -1.2 mag
Fri, Feb 28, 2020 Begin Max. End
Time (EST) 05:25:29 AM 05:26:42 AM 05:29:07 AM
Direction NW NNW NNE
Altitude 16° 18° 10°
Brightness -1.2 mag -1.2 mag
The grey circle indicates the area where the Space Station is at least 10° above the horizon.
The red line shows where the ISS is sunlit and visible.
On the blue line the ISS is in the Earth's shadow and invisible or it is less than 10° above the horizon or the sky is not dark enough to see the ISS.

Sat, Feb 29, 2020

► Begin
04:39:45 AM EST		 Dur.
1:53		 -1.3 mag
Sat, Feb 29, 2020 Begin Max. End
Time (EST) 04:39:45 AM 04:39:45 AM 04:41:38 AM
Direction N N NE
Altitude 21° 21° 10°
Brightness -1.3 mag -1.3 mag
The grey circle indicates the area where the Space Station is at least 10° above the horizon.
The red line shows where the ISS is sunlit and visible.
On the blue line the ISS is in the Earth's shadow and invisible or it is less than 10° above the horizon or the sky is not dark enough to see the ISS.
► Begin
06:14:59 AM EST		 Dur.
3:14		 -0.7 mag
Sat, Feb 29, 2020 Begin Max. End
Time (EST) 06:14:59 AM 06:16:36 AM 06:18:13 AM
Direction NNW N NNE
Altitude 10° 13° 10°
Brightness -0.7 mag -0.7 mag
The grey circle indicates the area where the Space Station is at least 10° above the horizon.
The red line shows where the ISS is sunlit and visible.
On the blue line the ISS is in the Earth's shadow and invisible or it is less than 10° above the horizon or the sky is not dark enough to see the ISS.

Sun, Mar 01, 2020

► Begin
03:53:58 AM EST		 Dur.
0:11		 -0.6 mag
Sun, Mar 01, 2020 Begin Max. End
Time (EST) 03:53:58 AM 03:53:58 AM 03:54:09 AM
Direction NE NE NE
Altitude 11° 11° 10°
Brightness -0.6 mag -0.6 mag
The grey circle indicates the area where the Space Station is at least 10° above the horizon.
The red line shows where the ISS is sunlit and visible.
On the blue line the ISS is in the Earth's shadow and invisible or it is less than 10° above the horizon or the sky is not dark enough to see the ISS.
► Begin
05:26:55 AM EST		 Dur.
3:34		 -0.8 mag
Sun, Mar 01, 2020 Begin Max. End
Time (EST) 05:26:55 AM 05:28:42 AM 05:30:29 AM
Direction NW N NNE
Altitude 10° 14° 10°
Brightness -0.8 mag -0.8 mag
The grey circle indicates the area where the Space Station is at least 10° above the horizon.
The red line shows where the ISS is sunlit and visible.
On the blue line the ISS is in the Earth's shadow and invisible or it is less than 10° above the horizon or the sky is not dark enough to see the ISS.

Mon, Mar 02, 2020

► Begin
04:41:06 AM EST		 Dur.
1:47		 -0.9 mag
Mon, Mar 02, 2020 Begin Max. End
Time (EST) 04:41:06 AM 04:41:06 AM 04:42:53 AM
Direction N N NNE
Altitude 15° 15° 10°
Brightness -0.9 mag -0.9 mag
The grey circle indicates the area where the Space Station is at least 10° above the horizon.
The red line shows where the ISS is sunlit and visible.
On the blue line the ISS is in the Earth's shadow and invisible or it is less than 10° above the horizon or the sky is not dark enough to see the ISS.

Tue, Mar 03, 2020

► Begin
03:55:16 AM EST		 Dur.
0:06		 -0.5 mag
Tue, Mar 03, 2020 Begin Max. End
Time (EST) 03:55:16 AM 03:55:16 AM 03:55:22 AM
Direction NNE NNE NNE
Altitude 10° 10° 10°
Brightness -0.5 mag -0.5 mag
The grey circle indicates the area where the Space Station is at least 10° above the horizon.
The red line shows where the ISS is sunlit and visible.
On the blue line the ISS is in the Earth's shadow and invisible or it is less than 10° above the horizon or the sky is not dark enough to see the ISS.
► Begin
05:29:07 AM EST		 Dur.
3:16		 -0.7 mag
Tue, Mar 03, 2020 Begin Max. End
Time (EST) 05:29:07 AM 05:30:45 AM 05:32:23 AM
Direction NNW N NNE
Altitude 10° 13° 10°
Brightness -0.7 mag -0.7 mag
The grey circle indicates the area where the Space Station is at least 10° above the horizon.
The red line shows where the ISS is sunlit and visible.
On the blue line the ISS is in the Earth's shadow and invisible or it is less than 10° above the horizon or the sky is not dark enough to see the ISS.

Wed, Mar 04, 2020

► Begin
04:42:22 AM EST		 Dur.
2:05		 -0.7 mag
Wed, Mar 04, 2020 Begin Max. End
Time (EST) 04:42:22 AM 04:42:50 AM 04:44:27 AM
Direction NNW N NNE
Altitude 13° 13° 10°
Brightness -0.7 mag -0.7 mag
The grey circle indicates the area where the Space Station is at least 10° above the horizon.
The red line shows where the ISS is sunlit and visible.
On the blue line the ISS is in the Earth's shadow and invisible or it is less than 10° above the horizon or the sky is not dark enough to see the ISS.

Thu, Mar 05, 2020

► Begin
03:56:32 AM EST		 Dur.
0:10		 -0.5 mag
Thu, Mar 05, 2020 Begin Max. End
Time (EST) 03:56:32 AM 03:56:32 AM 03:56:42 AM
Direction NNE NNE NNE
Altitude 11° 11° 10°
Brightness -0.5 mag -0.5 mag
The grey circle indicates the area where the Space Station is at least 10° above the horizon.
The red line shows where the ISS is sunlit and visible.
On the blue line the ISS is in the Earth's shadow and invisible or it is less than 10° above the horizon or the sky is not dark enough to see the ISS.
► Begin
05:30:38 AM EST		 Dur.
4:17		 -1.0 mag
Thu, Mar 05, 2020 Begin Max. End
Time (EST) 05:30:38 AM 05:32:47 AM 05:34:55 AM
Direction NNW NNE NE
Altitude 10° 16° 10°
Brightness -1.0 mag -1.0 mag
The grey circle indicates the area where the Space Station is at least 10° above the horizon.
The red line shows where the ISS is sunlit and visible.
On the blue line the ISS is in the Earth's shadow and invisible or it is less than 10° above the horizon or the sky is not dark enough to see the ISS.

Fri, Mar 06, 2020

► Begin
04:43:39 AM EST		 Dur.
3:04		 -0.8 mag
Fri, Mar 06, 2020 Begin Max. End
Time (EST) 04:43:39 AM 04:44:53 AM 04:46:43 AM
Direction NNW N NE
Altitude 12° 14° 10°
Brightness -0.8 mag -0.8 mag
The grey circle indicates the area where the Space Station is at least 10° above the horizon.
The red line shows where the ISS is sunlit and visible.
On the blue line the ISS is in the Earth's shadow and invisible or it is less than 10° above the horizon or the sky is not dark enough to see the ISS.

Sat, Mar 07, 2020

► Begin
03:57:51 AM EST		 Dur.
0:45		 -0.6 mag
Sat, Mar 07, 2020 Begin Max. End
Time (EST) 03:57:51 AM 03:57:51 AM 03:58:36 AM
Direction NNE NNE NNE
Altitude 12° 12° 10°
Brightness -0.6 mag -0.6 mag
The grey circle indicates the area where the Space Station is at least 10° above the horizon.
The red line shows where the ISS is sunlit and visible.
On the blue line the ISS is in the Earth's shadow and invisible or it is less than 10° above the horizon or the sky is not dark enough to see the ISS.
► Begin
05:31:51 AM EST		 Dur.
5:38		 -1.6 mag
Sat, Mar 07, 2020 Begin Max. End
Time (EST) 05:31:51 AM 05:34:40 AM 05:37:29 AM
Direction NW NNE E
Altitude 10° 25° 10°
Brightness -1.6 mag -1.6 mag
The grey circle indicates the area where the Space Station is at least 10° above the horizon.
The red line shows where the ISS is sunlit and visible.
On the blue line the ISS is in the Earth's shadow and invisible or it is less than 10° above the horizon or the sky is not dark enough to see the ISS.

Sun, Mar 08, 2020

► Begin
05:45:03 AM EDT		 Dur.
4:17		 -1.2 mag
Sun, Mar 08, 2020 Begin Max. End
Time (EDT) 05:45:03 AM 05:46:51 AM 05:49:20 AM
Direction NNW NNE ENE
Altitude 13° 19° 10°
Brightness -1.2 mag -1.2 mag
The grey circle indicates the area where the Space Station is at least 10° above the horizon.
The red line shows where the ISS is sunlit and visible.
On the blue line the ISS is in the Earth's shadow and invisible or it is less than 10° above the horizon or the sky is not dark enough to see the ISS.