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Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

The following ISS sightings are possible from Friday Sep 13, 2019 through Friday Oct 4, 2019

Date Visible Max Height Appears Disappears Share Event
Sat Sep 14, 4:57 AM 3 min 41° 41° above NNE 12° above ESE  
Sat Sep 14, 6:31 AM 5 min 22° 10° above W 10° above S  
Sun Sep 15, 5:44 AM 4 min 39° 32° above W 11° above SSE  
Mon Sep 16, 4:59 AM < 1 min 17° 17° above SE 11° above SE  
Tue Sep 17, 8:47 PM 1 min 18° 10° above SSW 18° above S  
Wed Sep 18, 8:00 PM 3 min 14° 10° above SSE 12° above ESE  
Wed Sep 18, 9:35 PM 1 min 22° 10° above WSW 22° above WSW  
Thu Sep 19, 8:47 PM 4 min 76° 10° above SW 47° above ENE  
Fri Sep 20, 7:58 PM 6 min 41° 11° above SSW 10° above ENE  
Fri Sep 20, 9:37 PM < 1 min 25° 20° above WNW 25° above NW  
Sat Sep 21, 8:48 PM 3 min 39° 28° above WNW 20° above NNE  
Sun Sep 22, 7:59 PM 5 min 65° 27° above WSW 11° above NE  
Sun Sep 22, 9:37 PM 1 min 16° 13° above NW 16° above NNW  
Mon Sep 23, 8:49 PM 3 min 20° 19° above NW 13° above NNE  
Tue Sep 24, 8:00 PM 3 min 28° 25° above NW 11° above NNE  
Tue Sep 24, 9:37 PM < 1 min 12° 10° above NNW 12° above NNW  
Wed Sep 25, 8:48 PM 3 min 14° 11° above NW 11° above NNE  
Thu Sep 26, 8:00 PM 3 min 16° 14° above NW 11° above NNE  
Thu Sep 26, 9:38 PM < 1 min 10° 10° above NNW 10° above NNW  
Fri Sep 27, 8:49 PM 2 min 12° 10° above NNW 11° above NNE  

The following CYGNUS sightings are possible from Friday Sep 13, 2019 through Friday Oct 4, 2019

Date Visible Max Height Appears Disappears Share Event
Sat Sep 14, 4:34 AM 2 min 24° 24° above NNE 19° above ENE  
Sat Sep 14, 6:09 AM 7 min 64° 10° above WNW 11° above SE  
Sun Sep 15, 4:06 AM 1 min 16° 16° above ENE 10° above ENE  
Sun Sep 15, 5:40 AM 6 min 75° 21° above WNW 11° above SE  
Mon Sep 16, 5:12 AM 4 min 86° 75° above WNW 12° above SE  
Tue Sep 17, 4:45 AM 1 min 20° 20° above ESE 12° above SE  
Tue Sep 17, 6:20 AM 2 min 12° 11° above WSW 10° above SSW  
Wed Sep 18, 5:52 AM < 1 min 11° 11° above SSW 10° above SSW  
Wed Sep 18, 9:05 PM 2 min 23° 10° above SSW 23° above SSW  
Thu Sep 19, 8:35 PM 4 min 34° 11° above SSW 31° above ESE  
Fri Sep 20, 8:06 PM 6 min 29° 11° above SSW 13° above ENE  
Fri Sep 20, 9:43 PM 2 min 29° 11° above W 29° above WNW  
Sat Sep 21, 7:40 PM 2 min 23° 23° above ESE 11° above ENE  
Sat Sep 21, 9:13 PM 4 min 42° 10° above WSW 39° above N  
Sun Sep 22, 8:45 PM 4 min 48° 24° above W 21° above NE  
Mon Sep 23, 8:15 PM 5 min 54° 29° above W 10° above NE  
Mon Sep 23, 9:54 PM < 1 min 16° 13° above NW 16° above NNW  
Tue Sep 24, 7:46 PM 5 min 62° 36° above W 11° above NE  
Tue Sep 24, 9:24 PM 2 min 18° 15° above NW 17° above N  
Wed Sep 25, 8:54 PM 3 min 19° 15° above NW 13° above NNE  
Thu Sep 26, 8:24 PM 4 min 20° 17° above NW 10° above NNE  
Thu Sep 26, 10:02 PM < 1 min 10° 10° above NNW 10° above NNW  
Fri Sep 27, 7:54 PM 4 min 21° 18° above NW 10° above NNE  
Fri Sep 27, 9:32 PM 1 min 13° 10° above NNW 13° above N  
Sat Sep 28, 7:28 PM < 1 min 14° 14° above NNE 10° above NNE  
Sat Sep 28, 9:02 PM 2 min 14° 10° above NNW 13° above N  
Sun Sep 29, 8:32 PM 4 min 14° 10° above NW 11° above NNE  
Mon Sep 30, 8:02 PM 4 min 14° 10° above NW 10° above NNE  
Mon Sep 30, 9:41 PM < 1 min 11° 10° above NNW 11° above NNW  
Tue Oct 1, 7:32 PM 4 min 14° 10° above NW 10° above NNE  
Tue Oct 1, 9:11 PM 2 min 17° 10° above NNW 17° above N  
Wed Oct 2, 8:41 PM 2 min 17° 11° above NNW 17° above NNE  
Thu Oct 3, 8:11 PM 4 min 17° 11° above NNW 14° above NE  
Thu Oct 3, 9:49 PM < 1 min 12° 10° above NW 12° above NW  
2019-09-14 08:57:00.0,Sat Sep 14, 4:57 AM,3 min,41°,41° above NNE,12° above ESE|2019-09-14 10:31:00.0,Sat Sep 14, 6:31 AM,5 min,22°,10° above W,10° above S|2019-09-15 09:44:00.0,Sun Sep 15, 5:44 AM,4 min,39°,32° above W,11° above SSE|2019-09-16 08:59:00.0,Mon Sep 16, 4:59 AM,< 1 min,17°,17° above SE,11° above SE|2019-09-18 00:47:00.0,Tue Sep 17, 8:47 PM,1 min,18°,10° above SSW,18° above S|2019-09-19 00:00:00.0,Wed Sep 18, 8:00 PM,3 min,14°,10° above SSE,12° above ESE|2019-09-19 01:35:00.0,Wed Sep 18, 9:35 PM,1 min,22°,10° above WSW,22° above WSW|2019-09-20 00:47:00.0,Thu Sep 19, 8:47 PM,4 min,76°,10° above SW,47° above ENE|2019-09-20 23:58:00.0,Fri Sep 20, 7:58 PM,6 min,41°,11° above SSW,10° above ENE|2019-09-21 01:37:00.0,Fri Sep 20, 9:37 PM,< 1 min,25°,20° above WNW,25° above NW|2019-09-22 00:48:00.0,Sat Sep 21, 8:48 PM,3 min,39°,28° above WNW,20° above NNE|2019-09-22 23:59:00.0,Sun Sep 22, 7:59 PM,5 min,65°,27° above WSW,11° above NE|2019-09-23 01:37:00.0,Sun Sep 22, 9:37 PM,1 min,16°,13° above NW,16° above NNW|2019-09-24 00:49:00.0,Mon Sep 23, 8:49 PM,3 min,20°,19° above NW,13° above NNE|2019-09-25 00:00:00.0,Tue Sep 24, 8:00 PM,3 min,28°,25° above NW,11° above NNE|2019-09-25 01:37:00.0,Tue Sep 24, 9:37 PM,< 1 min,12°,10° above NNW,12° above NNW|2019-09-26 00:48:00.0,Wed Sep 25, 8:48 PM,3 min,14°,11° above NW,11° above NNE|2019-09-27 00:00:00.0,Thu Sep 26, 8:00 PM,3 min,16°,14° above NW,11° above NNE|2019-09-27 01:38:00.0,Thu Sep 26, 9:38 PM,< 1 min,10°,10° above NNW,10° above NNW|2019-09-28 00:49:00.0,Fri Sep 27, 8:49 PM,2 min,12°,10° above NNW,11° 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

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