Spot The Station

Sighting Location

Location: Washington, DC, United States

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The following ISS sightings are possible from Friday May 20, 2022 through Saturday Jun 4, 2022

Date	Visible	Max Height	Appears	Disappears
Fri May 20, 9:09 PM	4 min	14°	10° above NW	10° above NNE
Sat May 21, 12:25 AM	1 min	15°	10° above NNW	15° above N
Sat May 21, 11:37 PM	2 min	14°	10° above NNW	14° above NNE
Sun May 22, 9:12 PM	1 min	10°	10° above NNW	10° above N
Sun May 22, 10:49 PM	3 min	12°	10° above N	10° above NE
Mon May 23, 12:25 AM	1 min	15°	10° above NW	15° above NNW
Mon May 23, 10:02 PM	1 min	10°	10° above N	10° above NNE
Mon May 23, 11:37 PM	2 min	22°	10° above NNW	22° above N
Tue May 24, 10:50 PM	3 min	18°	10° above NNW	16° above NE
Wed May 25, 10:02 PM	4 min	14°	10° above NNW	10° above NE
Wed May 25, 11:38 PM	2 min	28°	10° above NW	28° above NW
Thu May 26, 9:14 PM	3 min	12°	10° above N	10° above NE
Thu May 26, 10:50 PM	3 min	36°	10° above NW	36° above NE
Fri May 27, 10:02 PM	5 min	24°	10° above NNW	16° above ENE
Fri May 27, 11:38 PM	1 min	17°	10° above WNW	17° above WNW
Sat May 28, 9:14 PM	5 min	18°	10° above NNW	10° above ENE
Sat May 28, 10:50 PM	3 min	56°	10° above NW	56° above WNW
Sun May 29, 10:02 PM	5 min	58°	10° above NW	33° above E
Mon May 30, 9:14 PM	6 min	35°	10° above NW	11° above E
Mon May 30, 10:51 PM	2 min	23°	10° above WNW	23° above WSW
Tue May 31, 10:02 PM	4 min	44°	10° above WNW	33° above S
Wed Jun 1, 9:14 PM	6 min	83°	10° above NW	12° above SE
Thu Jun 2, 10:04 PM	3 min	15°	10° above W	12° above SSW
Fri Jun 3, 9:15 PM	6 min	26°	10° above WNW	10° above S

2022-05-21 01:09:00.0,Fri May 20, 9:09 PM,4 min,14°,10° above NW,10° above NNE|2022-05-21 04:25:00.0,Sat May 21, 12:25 AM,1 min,15°,10° above NNW,15° above N|2022-05-22 03:37:00.0,Sat May 21, 11:37 PM,2 min,14°,10° above NNW,14° above NNE|2022-05-23 01:12:00.0,Sun May 22, 9:12 PM,1 min,10°,10° above NNW,10° above N|2022-05-23 02:49:00.0,Sun May 22, 10:49 PM,3 min,12°,10° above N,10° above NE|2022-05-23 04:25:00.0,Mon May 23, 12:25 AM,1 min,15°,10° above NW,15° above NNW|2022-05-24 02:02:00.0,Mon May 23, 10:02 PM,1 min,10°,10° above N,10° above NNE|2022-05-24 03:37:00.0,Mon May 23, 11:37 PM,2 min,22°,10° above NNW,22° above N|2022-05-25 02:50:00.0,Tue May 24, 10:50 PM,3 min,18°,10° above NNW,16° above NE|2022-05-26 02:02:00.0,Wed May 25, 10:02 PM,4 min,14°,10° above NNW,10° above NE|2022-05-26 03:38:00.0,Wed May 25, 11:38 PM,2 min,28°,10° above NW,28° above NW|2022-05-27 01:14:00.0,Thu May 26, 9:14 PM,3 min,12°,10° above N,10° above NE|2022-05-27 02:50:00.0,Thu May 26, 10:50 PM,3 min,36°,10° above NW,36° above NE|2022-05-28 02:02:00.0,Fri May 27, 10:02 PM,5 min,24°,10° above NNW,16° above ENE|2022-05-28 03:38:00.0,Fri May 27, 11:38 PM,1 min,17°,10° above WNW,17° above WNW|2022-05-29 01:14:00.0,Sat May 28, 9:14 PM,5 min,18°,10° above NNW,10° above ENE|2022-05-29 02:50:00.0,Sat May 28, 10:50 PM,3 min,56°,10° above NW,56° above WNW|2022-05-30 02:02:00.0,Sun May 29, 10:02 PM,5 min,58°,10° above NW,33° above E|2022-05-31 01:14:00.0,Mon May 30, 9:14 PM,6 min,35°,10° above NW,11° above E|2022-05-31 02:51:00.0,Mon May 30, 10:51 PM,2 min,23°,10° above WNW,23° above WSW|2022-06-01 02:02:00.0,Tue May 31, 10:02 PM,4 min,44°,10° above WNW,33° above S|2022-06-02 01:14:00.0,Wed Jun 1, 9:14 PM,6 min,83°,10° above NW,12° above SE|2022-06-03 02:04:00.0,Thu Jun 2, 10:04 PM,3 min,15°,10° above W,12° above SSW|2022-06-04 01:15:00.0,Fri Jun 3, 9:15 PM,6 min,26°,10° above WNW,10° above S|

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.