Spot The Station

Sighting Location

Location: Elkton, Maryland, 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
Sat Nov 17, 5:00 AM	< 1 min	12°	12° above S	10° above S
Wed Nov 21, 6:07 PM	< 1 min	10°	10° above SSE	10° above SSE
Thu Nov 22, 6:50 PM	1 min	24°	10° above SW	24° above SW
Fri Nov 23, 5:58 PM	3 min	30°	11° above SSW	29° above ESE
Sat Nov 24, 5:07 PM	4 min	16°	10° above S	10° above E
Sat Nov 24, 6:43 PM	1 min	38°	22° above WSW	38° above W
Sun Nov 25, 5:51 PM	3 min	83°	23° above SW	29° above NE
Mon Nov 26, 5:03 PM	< 1 min	14°	14° above ENE	12° above ENE
Mon Nov 26, 6:36 PM	1 min	24°	17° above WNW	24° above NNW
Tue Nov 27, 5:44 PM	3 min	40°	29° above WNW	16° above NNE
Wed Nov 28, 6:28 PM	2 min	15°	11° above NW	15° above NNW
Thu Nov 29, 5:36 PM	4 min	21°	14° above WNW	12° above NNE
Fri Nov 30, 6:21 PM	1 min	11°	10° above NNW	11° above NNW

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