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Location: Wilmette, Illinois, United States

The following ISS sightings are possible from Friday May 3, 2024 through Saturday May 18, 2024

Date Visible Max Height Appears Disappears Share Event
Sat May 4, 2:58 AM 3 min 16° 15° above NNW 10° above NE  
Sat May 4, 4:34 AM 5 min 20° 10° above NW 10° above ENE  
Sun May 5, 2:10 AM 2 min 17° 17° above N 10° above NE  
Sun May 5, 3:45 AM 5 min 17° 10° above NW 10° above NE  
Mon May 6, 1:23 AM < 1 min 11° 11° above NE 10° above NE  
Mon May 6, 2:56 AM 4 min 16° 10° above NW 10° above NE  
Mon May 6, 4:32 AM 6 min 30° 10° above NW 10° above E  
Tue May 7, 2:08 AM 3 min 16° 15° above N 10° above NE  
Tue May 7, 3:43 AM 5 min 23° 10° above NW 10° above ENE  
Wed May 8, 1:20 AM 1 min 13° 13° above NNE 10° above NE  
Wed May 8, 2:54 AM 5 min 19° 10° above NW 10° above ENE  
Wed May 8, 4:30 AM 7 min 61° 10° above NW 10° above ESE  
Thu May 9, 2:05 AM 4 min 17° 13° above NNW 10° above NE  
Thu May 9, 3:41 AM 6 min 38° 10° above NW 10° above E  
Thu May 9, 9:59 PM 2 min 39° 10° above SW 39° above SW  
Fri May 10, 1:17 AM 2 min 15° 15° above NNE 10° above NE  
Fri May 10, 2:52 AM 6 min 27° 10° above NW 10° above E  
Fri May 10, 4:28 AM 6 min 51° 10° above WNW 10° above SE  
Fri May 10, 9:10 PM 6 min 39° 10° above SSW 10° above ENE  
Fri May 10, 10:47 PM 6 min 32° 10° above W 10° above NE  
Sat May 11, 12:25 AM 1 min 14° 10° above NW 14° above NNW  
Sat May 11, 2:04 AM 4 min 21° 18° above NNW 10° above ENE  
Sat May 11, 3:39 AM 7 min 89° 10° above NW 10° above SE  
Sat May 11, 9:57 PM 6 min 47° 10° above WSW 10° above NE  
Sat May 11, 11:35 PM 5 min 17° 10° above NW 10° above NE  
Sun May 12, 1:13 AM < 1 min 12° 10° above NW 12° above NNW  
Sun May 12, 2:54 AM 2 min 24° 24° above E 10° above ESE  
Sun May 12, 4:27 AM 4 min 19° 15° above W 10° above S  
Sun May 12, 9:08 PM 7 min 78° 10° above WSW 10° above NE  
Sun May 12, 10:45 PM 5 min 20° 10° above WNW 10° above NE  
Mon May 13, 12:23 AM 2 min 16° 10° above NW 16° above N  
Mon May 13, 9:55 PM 6 min 26° 10° above W 10° above NE  
Mon May 13, 11:34 PM 4 min 16° 10° above NW 10° above NE  
Tue May 14, 1:10 AM < 1 min 11° 10° above NW 11° above NW  
Tue May 14, 9:06 PM 6 min 35° 10° above W 10° above NE  
Tue May 14, 10:44 PM 4 min 16° 10° above NW 10° above NE  
Wed May 15, 12:21 AM 2 min 19° 10° above NW 19° above N  
Wed May 15, 9:54 PM 5 min 18° 10° above WNW 10° above NE  
Wed May 15, 11:32 PM 3 min 17° 10° above NW 15° above NNE  
Thu May 16, 9:04 PM 5 min 22° 10° above WNW 10° above NE  
Thu May 16, 10:42 PM 4 min 16° 10° above NW 10° above NE  
Fri May 17, 12:18 AM 1 min 19° 10° above NW 19° above NNW  
Fri May 17, 9:52 PM 4 min 16° 10° above NW 10° above NE  
Fri May 17, 11:29 PM 3 min 23° 10° above NW 23° above NNE  
{ts '2024-05-04 07:58:00'},Sat May 4, 2:58 AM,3 min,16°,15° above NNW,10° above NE|{ts '2024-05-04 09:34:00'},Sat May 4, 4:34 AM,5 min,20°,10° above NW,10° above ENE|{ts '2024-05-05 07:10:00'},Sun May 5, 2:10 AM,2 min,17°,17° above N,10° above NE|{ts '2024-05-05 08:45:00'},Sun May 5, 3:45 AM,5 min,17°,10° above NW,10° above NE|{ts '2024-05-06 06:23:00'},Mon May 6, 1:23 AM,< 1 min,11°,11° above NE,10° above NE|{ts '2024-05-06 07:56:00'},Mon May 6, 2:56 AM,4 min,16°,10° above NW,10° above NE|{ts '2024-05-06 09:32:00'},Mon May 6, 4:32 AM,6 min,30°,10° above NW,10° above E|{ts '2024-05-07 07:08:00'},Tue May 7, 2:08 AM,3 min,16°,15° above N,10° above NE|{ts '2024-05-07 08:43:00'},Tue May 7, 3:43 AM,5 min,23°,10° above NW,10° above ENE|{ts '2024-05-08 06:20:00'},Wed May 8, 1:20 AM,1 min,13°,13° above NNE,10° above NE|{ts '2024-05-08 07:54:00'},Wed May 8, 2:54 AM,5 min,19°,10° above NW,10° above ENE|{ts '2024-05-08 09:30:00'},Wed May 8, 4:30 AM,7 min,61°,10° above NW,10° above ESE|{ts '2024-05-09 07:05:00'},Thu May 9, 2:05 AM,4 min,17°,13° above NNW,10° above NE|{ts '2024-05-09 08:41:00'},Thu May 9, 3:41 AM,6 min,38°,10° above NW,10° above E|{ts '2024-05-10 02:59:00'},Thu May 9, 9:59 PM,2 min,39°,10° above SW,39° above SW|{ts '2024-05-10 06:17:00'},Fri May 10, 1:17 AM,2 min,15°,15° above NNE,10° above NE|{ts '2024-05-10 07:52:00'},Fri May 10, 2:52 AM,6 min,27°,10° above NW,10° above E|{ts '2024-05-10 09:28:00'},Fri May 10, 4:28 AM,6 min,51°,10° above WNW,10° above SE|{ts '2024-05-11 02:10:00'},Fri May 10, 9:10 PM,6 min,39°,10° above SSW,10° above ENE|{ts '2024-05-11 03:47:00'},Fri May 10, 10:47 PM,6 min,32°,10° above W,10° above NE|{ts '2024-05-11 05:25:00'},Sat May 11, 12:25 AM,1 min,14°,10° above NW,14° above NNW|{ts '2024-05-11 07:04:00'},Sat May 11, 2:04 AM,4 min,21°,18° above NNW,10° above ENE|{ts '2024-05-11 08:39:00'},Sat May 11, 3:39 AM,7 min,89°,10° above NW,10° above SE|{ts '2024-05-12 02:57:00'},Sat May 11, 9:57 PM,6 min,47°,10° above WSW,10° above NE|{ts '2024-05-12 04:35:00'},Sat May 11, 11:35 PM,5 min,17°,10° above NW,10° above NE|{ts '2024-05-12 06:13:00'},Sun May 12, 1:13 AM,< 1 min,12°,10° above NW,12° above NNW|{ts '2024-05-12 07:54:00'},Sun May 12, 2:54 AM,2 min,24°,24° above E,10° above ESE|{ts '2024-05-12 09:27:00'},Sun May 12, 4:27 AM,4 min,19°,15° above W,10° above S|{ts '2024-05-13 02:08:00'},Sun May 12, 9:08 PM,7 min,78°,10° above WSW,10° above NE|{ts '2024-05-13 03:45:00'},Sun May 12, 10:45 PM,5 min,20°,10° above WNW,10° above NE|{ts '2024-05-13 05:23:00'},Mon May 13, 12:23 AM,2 min,16°,10° above NW,16° above N|{ts '2024-05-14 02:55:00'},Mon May 13, 9:55 PM,6 min,26°,10° above W,10° above NE|{ts '2024-05-14 04:34:00'},Mon May 13, 11:34 PM,4 min,16°,10° above NW,10° above NE|{ts '2024-05-14 06:10:00'},Tue May 14, 1:10 AM,< 1 min,11°,10° above NW,11° above NW|{ts '2024-05-15 02:06:00'},Tue May 14, 9:06 PM,6 min,35°,10° above W,10° above NE|{ts '2024-05-15 03:44:00'},Tue May 14, 10:44 PM,4 min,16°,10° above NW,10° above NE|{ts '2024-05-15 05:21:00'},Wed May 15, 12:21 AM,2 min,19°,10° above NW,19° above N|{ts '2024-05-16 02:54:00'},Wed May 15, 9:54 PM,5 min,18°,10° above WNW,10° above NE|{ts '2024-05-16 04:32:00'},Wed May 15, 11:32 PM,3 min,17°,10° above NW,15° above NNE|{ts '2024-05-17 02:04:00'},Thu May 16, 9:04 PM,5 min,22°,10° above WNW,10° above NE|{ts '2024-05-17 03:42:00'},Thu May 16, 10:42 PM,4 min,16°,10° above NW,10° above NE|{ts '2024-05-17 05:18:00'},Fri May 17, 12:18 AM,1 min,19°,10° above NW,19° above NNW|{ts '2024-05-18 02:52:00'},Fri May 17, 9:52 PM,4 min,16°,10° above NW,10° above NE|{ts '2024-05-18 04:29:00'},Fri May 17, 11:29 PM,3 min,23°,10° above NW,23° 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 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 chart. Click the link for a detailed description of the astronomical horizon and sighting alert messages.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Page Editor: Bill Keeter NASA Official: Jacob Keaton