Spot The Station

Sighting Location

Location: New York, New York, United States

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The following ISS sightings are possible from Wednesday Jan 15, 2020 through Friday Jan 31, 2020

Date	Visible	Max Height	Appears	Disappears
Sat Jan 18, 6:35 PM	1 min	16°	11° above S	16° above SSE
Sun Jan 19, 5:48 PM	2 min	12°	10° above SSE	11° above ESE
Sun Jan 19, 7:23 PM	1 min	18°	10° above WSW	18° above WSW
Mon Jan 20, 6:35 PM	3 min	62°	10° above SW	62° above SE
Tue Jan 21, 5:47 PM	5 min	34°	10° above SSW	15° above ENE
Tue Jan 21, 7:25 PM	< 1 min	18°	16° above W	18° above WNW
Wed Jan 22, 6:38 PM	2 min	46°	30° above W	38° above N
Thu Jan 23, 5:50 PM	4 min	77°	43° above WSW	15° above NE
Thu Jan 23, 7:26 PM	1 min	14°	10° above WNW	14° above NW
Fri Jan 24, 6:39 PM	3 min	23°	14° above WNW	21° above N
Sat Jan 25, 5:51 PM	4 min	31°	21° above WNW	11° above NE
Sat Jan 25, 7:29 PM	< 1 min	10°	10° above NW	10° above NW
Sun Jan 26, 6:41 PM	2 min	15°	10° above NW	15° above N
Mon Jan 27, 5:52 PM	5 min	18°	10° above WNW	11° above NNE
Tue Jan 28, 6:44 PM	1 min	13°	10° above NNW	13° above N
Wed Jan 29, 5:55 PM	3 min	13°	10° above NW	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.