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Location: Rapid City, South Dakota, United States

The following ISS sightings are possible from Friday Feb 14, 2020 through Tuesday Mar 3, 2020

Date Visible Max Height Appears Disappears Share Event
Fri Feb 21, 5:39 AM 3 min 23° 11° above S 23° above SE  
Sat Feb 22, 4:52 AM 2 min 14° 10° above SSE 13° above ESE  
Sun Feb 23, 5:40 AM 5 min 62° 10° above SW 30° above ENE  
Mon Feb 24, 4:54 AM 2 min 37° 29° above S 25° above E  
Tue Feb 25, 4:09 AM < 1 min 19° 19° above ESE 15° above E  
Tue Feb 25, 5:42 AM 6 min 54° 15° above WSW 11° above NE  
Wed Feb 26, 4:56 AM 3 min 83° 71° above W 18° above ENE  
Thu Feb 27, 4:11 AM < 1 min 24° 24° above ENE 20° above ENE  
Thu Feb 27, 5:44 AM 5 min 30° 13° above WNW 10° above NE  
Fri Feb 28, 4:58 AM 3 min 39° 38° above NNW 12° above NE  
Sat Feb 29, 4:12 AM 1 min 24° 24° above NE 14° above NE  
Sat Feb 29, 5:45 AM 5 min 22° 10° above WNW 10° above NE  
Sun Mar 1, 5:00 AM 3 min 25° 23° above NNW 11° above NE  
Mon Mar 2, 4:14 AM 2 min 23° 23° above NNE 10° above NE  
Mon Mar 2, 5:47 AM 5 min 22° 10° above NW 13° above NE  
Tue Mar 3, 3:28 AM < 1 min 10° 10° above NE 10° above NE  
Tue Mar 3, 5:01 AM 3 min 21° 18° above NNW 13° above NE  

The following CYGNUS sightings are possible from Friday Feb 14, 2020 through Tuesday Mar 3, 2020

Date Visible Max Height Appears Disappears Share Event
Fri Feb 21, 5:58 AM 3 min 30° 11° above SSW 29° above ESE  
Sat Feb 22, 5:25 AM 3 min 25° 11° above SSW 24° above ESE  
Sun Feb 23, 4:54 AM 4 min 21° 10° above S 18° above ESE  
Mon Feb 24, 4:23 AM 2 min 17° 16° above SSE 14° above ESE  
Mon Feb 24, 5:58 AM 6 min 74° 10° above WSW 13° above NE  
Tue Feb 25, 3:53 AM 1 min 13° 13° above ESE 10° above E  
Tue Feb 25, 5:27 AM 5 min 86° 22° above WSW 19° above ENE  
Wed Feb 26, 4:56 AM 3 min 80° 49° above SW 23° above ENE  
Thu Feb 27, 4:26 AM 1 min 47° 47° above E 22° above ENE  
Thu Feb 27, 6:00 AM 6 min 31° 11° above W 10° above NE  
Fri Feb 28, 3:55 AM < 1 min 20° 20° above ENE 17° above ENE  
Fri Feb 28, 5:29 AM 5 min 34° 18° above WNW 10° above NE  
Sat Feb 29, 4:58 AM 4 min 37° 32° above NW 13° above NE  
2020-02-21 12:39:00.0,Fri Feb 21, 5:39 AM,3 min,23°,11° above S,23° above SE|2020-02-22 11:52:00.0,Sat Feb 22, 4:52 AM,2 min,14°,10° above SSE,13° above ESE|2020-02-23 12:40:00.0,Sun Feb 23, 5:40 AM,5 min,62°,10° above SW,30° above ENE|2020-02-24 11:54:00.0,Mon Feb 24, 4:54 AM,2 min,37°,29° above S,25° above E|2020-02-25 11:09:00.0,Tue Feb 25, 4:09 AM,< 1 min,19°,19° above ESE,15° above E|2020-02-25 12:42:00.0,Tue Feb 25, 5:42 AM,6 min,54°,15° above WSW,11° above NE|2020-02-26 11:56:00.0,Wed Feb 26, 4:56 AM,3 min,83°,71° above W,18° above ENE|2020-02-27 11:11:00.0,Thu Feb 27, 4:11 AM,< 1 min,24°,24° above ENE,20° above ENE|2020-02-27 12:44:00.0,Thu Feb 27, 5:44 AM,5 min,30°,13° above WNW,10° above NE|2020-02-28 11:58:00.0,Fri Feb 28, 4:58 AM,3 min,39°,38° above NNW,12° above NE|2020-02-29 11:12:00.0,Sat Feb 29, 4:12 AM,1 min,24°,24° above NE,14° above NE|2020-02-29 12:45:00.0,Sat Feb 29, 5:45 AM,5 min,22°,10° above WNW,10° above NE|2020-03-01 12:00:00.0,Sun Mar 1, 5:00 AM,3 min,25°,23° above NNW,11° above NE|2020-03-02 11:14:00.0,Mon Mar 2, 4:14 AM,2 min,23°,23° above NNE,10° above NE|2020-03-02 12:47:00.0,Mon Mar 2, 5:47 AM,5 min,22°,10° above NW,13° above NE|2020-03-03 10:28:00.0,Tue Mar 3, 3:28 AM,< 1 min,10°,10° above NE,10° above NE|2020-03-03 12:01:00.0,Tue Mar 3, 5:01 AM,3 min,21°,18° above NNW,13° above NE|

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