Spot The Station

Sighting Location

Location: Santa Clara, California, United States

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The following ISS sightings are possible from Friday Nov 16, 2018 through Saturday Dec 1, 2018

Date	Visible	Max Height	Appears	Disappears
Fri Nov 16, 4:22 AM	< 1 min	12°	12° above ESE	10° above ESE
Fri Nov 16, 5:54 AM	2 min	11°	11° above WSW	10° above SSW
Sat Nov 17, 5:05 AM	< 1 min	14°	14° above S	10° above S
Wed Nov 21, 6:12 PM	1 min	16°	10° above S	16° above SSE
Thu Nov 22, 6:55 PM	2 min	29°	10° above SW	29° above SW
Fri Nov 23, 6:03 PM	4 min	45°	11° above SSW	31° above E
Sat Nov 24, 5:13 PM	3 min	22°	21° above SE	11° above E
Sat Nov 24, 6:49 PM	1 min	31°	22° above WNW	31° above NW
Sun Nov 25, 5:57 PM	3 min	61°	34° above WSW	22° above NE
Mon Nov 26, 6:41 PM	2 min	17°	11° above WNW	17° above NNW
Tue Nov 27, 5:49 PM	4 min	26°	20° above WNW	12° above NNE
Wed Nov 28, 6:34 PM	1 min	10°	10° above NNW	10° above NNW
Thu Nov 29, 5:41 PM	4 min	15°	10° above WNW	10° above NNE

What am I looking for in the sky?

The space station looks like an airplane or a very bright star moving across the sky, except it doesn’t have flashing lights or change direction. It will also be moving considerably faster than a typical airplane (airplanes generally fly at about 600 miles per hour; the space station flies at 17,500 miles per hour).

Below is a time-lapse photo of the space station moving across the sky.

The International Space Station is seen in this 30 second exposure as it flies over Elkton, VA early in the morning, Saturday, August 1, 2015. Photo Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

Visit the NASA Johnson Flickr Photostream

How do I Spot The Station?

What does all this sighting information mean?

Time is when the sighting opportunity will begin in your local time zone. All sightings will occur within a few hours before or after sunrise or sunset. This is the optimum viewing period as the sun reflects off the space station and contrasts against the darker sky.

Visible is the maximum time period the space station is visible before crossing back below the horizon.

Max Height is measured in degrees (also known as elevation). It represents the height of the space station from the horizon in the night sky. The horizon is at zero degrees, and directly overhead is ninety degrees. If you hold your fist at arm’s length and place your fist resting on the horizon, the top will be about 10 degrees.

Appears is the location in the sky where the station will be visible first. This value, like maximum height, also is measured in degrees from the horizon. The letters represent compass directions -- N is north, WNW is west by northwest, and so on.

Disappears represents where in the night sky the International Space Station will leave your field of view.

Astronomical Horizon