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

Sun, Jan 24, 2021

► Begin
05:21:03 PM EST		 Dur.
6:11		 -2.1 mag
Sun, Jan 24, 2021 Begin Max. End
Time (EST) 05:21:03 PM 05:24:08 PM 05:27:14 PM
Direction W NNW NE
Altitude 10° 35° 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
06:59:52 PM EST		 Dur.
1:29		 -0.8 mag
Sun, Jan 24, 2021 Begin Max. End
Time (EST) 06:59:52 PM 07:01:21 PM 07:01:21 PM
Direction NW NNW NNW
Altitude 10° 14° 14°
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, Jan 25, 2021

► Begin
06:11:59 PM EST		 Dur.
4:00		 -1.0 mag
Mon, Jan 25, 2021 Begin Max. End
Time (EST) 06:11:59 PM 06:14:08 PM 06:15:59 PM
Direction NW NNW NNE
Altitude 10° 16° 11°
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.

Tue, Jan 26, 2021

► Begin
05:24:06 PM EST		 Dur.
4:59		 -1.2 mag
Tue, Jan 26, 2021 Begin Max. End
Time (EST) 05:24:06 PM 05:26:35 PM 05:29:05 PM
Direction WNW NNW NNE
Altitude 10° 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.
► Begin
07:02:46 PM EST		 Dur.
0:48		 -0.6 mag
Tue, Jan 26, 2021 Begin Max. End
Time (EST) 07:02:46 PM 07:03:34 PM 07:03:34 PM
Direction NNW NNW NNW
Altitude 10° 12° 12°
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.

Wed, Jan 27, 2021

► Begin
06:15:09 PM EST		 Dur.
3:01		 -0.7 mag
Wed, Jan 27, 2021 Begin Max. End
Time (EST) 06:15:09 PM 06:16:47 PM 06:18:10 PM
Direction NNW N NNE
Altitude 10° 13° 11°
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, Jan 28, 2021

► Begin
05:27:21 PM EST		 Dur.
3:41		 -0.8 mag
Thu, Jan 28, 2021 Begin Max. End
Time (EST) 05:27:21 PM 05:29:11 PM 05:31:02 PM
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.
► Begin
07:04:58 PM EST		 Dur.
0:48		 -0.7 mag
Thu, Jan 28, 2021 Begin Max. End
Time (EST) 07:04:58 PM 07:05:46 PM 07:05:46 PM
Direction NNW NNW NNW
Altitude 10° 13° 13°
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.

Fri, Jan 29, 2021

► Begin
06:17:40 PM EST		 Dur.
2:45		 -0.8 mag
Fri, Jan 29, 2021 Begin Max. End
Time (EST) 06:17:40 PM 06:19:28 PM 06:20:25 PM
Direction NNW N NNE
Altitude 10° 14° 13°
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, Jan 30, 2021

► Begin
05:30:14 PM EST		 Dur.
3:16		 -0.7 mag
Sat, Jan 30, 2021 Begin Max. End
Time (EST) 05:30:14 PM 05:31:52 PM 05:33:30 PM
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.
► Begin
07:06:49 PM EST		 Dur.
1:17		 -1.1 mag
Sat, Jan 30, 2021 Begin Max. End
Time (EST) 07:06:49 PM 07:08:06 PM 07:08:06 PM
Direction NW NNW NNW
Altitude 10° 18° 18°
Brightness -1.1 mag -1.1 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.

Sun, Jan 31, 2021

► Begin
06:19:37 PM EST		 Dur.
3:15		 -1.2 mag
Sun, Jan 31, 2021 Begin Max. End
Time (EST) 06:19:37 PM 06:22:04 PM 06:22:52 PM
Direction NNW NNE NE
Altitude 10° 19° 17°
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.

Mon, Feb 01, 2021

► Begin
05:32:24 PM EST		 Dur.
4:13		 -0.9 mag
Mon, Feb 01, 2021 Begin Max. End
Time (EST) 05:32:24 PM 05:34:30 PM 05:36:37 PM
Direction NNW NNE NE
Altitude 10° 16° 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.
► Begin
07:08:41 PM EST		 Dur.
2:01		 -1.9 mag
Mon, Feb 01, 2021 Begin Max. End
Time (EST) 07:08:41 PM 07:10:42 PM 07:10:42 PM
Direction NW NNW NNW
Altitude 10° 31° 31°
Brightness -1.9 mag -1.9 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, Feb 02, 2021

► Begin
06:21:27 PM EST		 Dur.
4:13		 -2.0 mag
Tue, Feb 02, 2021 Begin Max. End
Time (EST) 06:21:27 PM 06:24:30 PM 06:25:40 PM
Direction NW NNE ENE
Altitude 10° 33° 25°
Brightness -2.0 mag -2.0 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.
► Begin
07:58:19 PM EST		 Dur.
0:21		 -0.6 mag
Tue, Feb 02, 2021 Begin Max. End
Time (EST) 07:58:19 PM 07:58:40 PM 07:58:40 PM
Direction WNW WNW WNW
Altitude 10° 12° 12°
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.

Wed, Feb 03, 2021

► Begin
05:34:15 PM EST		 Dur.
5:34		 -1.5 mag
Wed, Feb 03, 2021 Begin Max. End
Time (EST) 05:34:15 PM 05:37:02 PM 05:39:49 PM
Direction NW NNE E
Altitude 10° 24° 10°
Brightness -1.5 mag -1.5 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
07:10:47 PM EST		 Dur.
3:01		 -2.7 mag
Wed, Feb 03, 2021 Begin Max. End
Time (EST) 07:10:47 PM 07:13:48 PM 07:13:48 PM
Direction WNW WSW WSW
Altitude 10° 52° 52°
Brightness -2.7 mag -2.7 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.