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Location: Rapid City, South Dakota, United States

The following ISS sightings are possible from Friday Apr 25, 2025 through Saturday May 10, 2025

Date Visible Max Height Appears Disappears Share Event
Sat Apr 26, 2:44 AM 1 min 14° 14° above ENE 10° above ENE  
Sat Apr 26, 4:16 AM 5 min 40° 25° above WNW 10° above NE  
Sun Apr 27, 3:30 AM 3 min 55° 55° above N 10° above NE  
Sun Apr 27, 5:05 AM 6 min 23° 10° above WNW 10° above NE  
Mon Apr 28, 2:44 AM 1 min 22° 22° above ENE 10° above ENE  
Mon Apr 28, 4:17 AM 5 min 26° 13° above WNW 10° above NE  
Tue Apr 29, 3:31 AM 4 min 31° 29° above NW 10° above NE  
Tue Apr 29, 5:06 AM 5 min 22° 10° above NW 10° above NE  
Wed Apr 30, 2:45 AM 2 min 28° 28° above NNE 10° above NE  
Wed Apr 30, 4:18 AM 5 min 22° 10° above NW 10° above NE  
Thu May 1, 1:58 AM 1 min 14° 14° above NE 10° above NE  
Thu May 1, 3:31 AM 4 min 23° 17° above NW 10° above NE  
Fri May 2, 2:45 AM 3 min 26° 26° above N 10° above NE  
Fri May 2, 4:19 AM 6 min 23° 10° above NW 10° above ENE  
Sat May 3, 1:58 AM 1 min 19° 19° above NNE 10° above NE  
Sat May 3, 3:31 AM 5 min 22° 10° above NW 10° above NE  
Sun May 4, 2:45 AM 4 min 22° 19° above NNW 10° above NE  
Sun May 4, 4:20 AM 6 min 31° 10° above NW 10° above E  
Mon May 5, 1:58 AM 2 min 21° 21° above NNE 10° above NE  
Mon May 5, 3:32 AM 6 min 26° 10° above NW 10° above ENE  
Tue May 6, 1:12 AM < 1 min 12° 12° above NE 10° above NE  
Tue May 6, 2:45 AM 5 min 23° 14° above NW 10° above ENE  
Tue May 6, 4:21 AM 7 min 57° 10° above NW 10° above ESE  
Wed May 7, 1:58 AM 3 min 22° 21° above N 10° above NE  
Wed May 7, 3:33 AM 6 min 40° 10° above NW 10° above E  
Thu May 8, 1:12 AM 1 min 15° 15° above NE 10° above NE  
Thu May 8, 2:45 AM 6 min 31° 11° above NW 10° above E  
Thu May 8, 4:22 AM 7 min 60° 10° above WNW 10° above SE  
Thu May 8, 9:06 PM 5 min 20° 10° above S 11° above E  
Thu May 8, 10:42 PM 2 min 44° 10° above WSW 44° above W  
Fri May 9, 1:59 AM 3 min 26° 25° above N 10° above ENE  
Fri May 9, 3:33 AM 7 min 84° 10° above WNW 10° above ESE  
Fri May 9, 9:54 PM 7 min 86° 10° above SW 10° above ENE  
Fri May 9, 11:31 PM 4 min 27° 10° above WNW 21° above NNE  
Sat May 10, 2:49 AM 3 min 55° 55° above NNE 10° above ESE  
Sat May 10, 4:23 AM 5 min 23° 10° above W 10° above S  
{ts '2025-04-26 08:44:00'},Sat Apr 26, 2:44 AM,1 min,14°,14° above ENE,10° above ENE|{ts '2025-04-26 10:16:00'},Sat Apr 26, 4:16 AM,5 min,40°,25° above WNW,10° above NE|{ts '2025-04-27 09:30:00'},Sun Apr 27, 3:30 AM,3 min,55°,55° above N,10° above NE|{ts '2025-04-27 11:05:00'},Sun Apr 27, 5:05 AM,6 min,23°,10° above WNW,10° above NE|{ts '2025-04-28 08:44:00'},Mon Apr 28, 2:44 AM,1 min,22°,22° above ENE,10° above ENE|{ts '2025-04-28 10:17:00'},Mon Apr 28, 4:17 AM,5 min,26°,13° above WNW,10° above NE|{ts '2025-04-29 09:31:00'},Tue Apr 29, 3:31 AM,4 min,31°,29° above NW,10° above NE|{ts '2025-04-29 11:06:00'},Tue Apr 29, 5:06 AM,5 min,22°,10° above NW,10° above NE|{ts '2025-04-30 08:45:00'},Wed Apr 30, 2:45 AM,2 min,28°,28° above NNE,10° above NE|{ts '2025-04-30 10:18:00'},Wed Apr 30, 4:18 AM,5 min,22°,10° above NW,10° above NE|{ts '2025-05-01 07:58:00'},Thu May 1, 1:58 AM,1 min,14°,14° above NE,10° above NE|{ts '2025-05-01 09:31:00'},Thu May 1, 3:31 AM,4 min,23°,17° above NW,10° above NE|{ts '2025-05-02 08:45:00'},Fri May 2, 2:45 AM,3 min,26°,26° above N,10° above NE|{ts '2025-05-02 10:19:00'},Fri May 2, 4:19 AM,6 min,23°,10° above NW,10° above ENE|{ts '2025-05-03 07:58:00'},Sat May 3, 1:58 AM,1 min,19°,19° above NNE,10° above NE|{ts '2025-05-03 09:31:00'},Sat May 3, 3:31 AM,5 min,22°,10° above NW,10° above NE|{ts '2025-05-04 08:45:00'},Sun May 4, 2:45 AM,4 min,22°,19° above NNW,10° above NE|{ts '2025-05-04 10:20:00'},Sun May 4, 4:20 AM,6 min,31°,10° above NW,10° above E|{ts '2025-05-05 07:58:00'},Mon May 5, 1:58 AM,2 min,21°,21° above NNE,10° above NE|{ts '2025-05-05 09:32:00'},Mon May 5, 3:32 AM,6 min,26°,10° above NW,10° above ENE|{ts '2025-05-06 07:12:00'},Tue May 6, 1:12 AM,< 1 min,12°,12° above NE,10° above NE|{ts '2025-05-06 08:45:00'},Tue May 6, 2:45 AM,5 min,23°,14° above NW,10° above ENE|{ts '2025-05-06 10:21:00'},Tue May 6, 4:21 AM,7 min,57°,10° above NW,10° above ESE|{ts '2025-05-07 07:58:00'},Wed May 7, 1:58 AM,3 min,22°,21° above N,10° above NE|{ts '2025-05-07 09:33:00'},Wed May 7, 3:33 AM,6 min,40°,10° above NW,10° above E|{ts '2025-05-08 07:12:00'},Thu May 8, 1:12 AM,1 min,15°,15° above NE,10° above NE|{ts '2025-05-08 08:45:00'},Thu May 8, 2:45 AM,6 min,31°,11° above NW,10° above E|{ts '2025-05-08 10:22:00'},Thu May 8, 4:22 AM,7 min,60°,10° above WNW,10° above SE|{ts '2025-05-09 03:06:00'},Thu May 8, 9:06 PM,5 min,20°,10° above S,11° above E|{ts '2025-05-09 04:42:00'},Thu May 8, 10:42 PM,2 min,44°,10° above WSW,44° above W|{ts '2025-05-09 07:59:00'},Fri May 9, 1:59 AM,3 min,26°,25° above N,10° above ENE|{ts '2025-05-09 09:33:00'},Fri May 9, 3:33 AM,7 min,84°,10° above WNW,10° above ESE|{ts '2025-05-10 03:54:00'},Fri May 9, 9:54 PM,7 min,86°,10° above SW,10° above ENE|{ts '2025-05-10 05:31:00'},Fri May 9, 11:31 PM,4 min,27°,10° above WNW,21° above NNE|{ts '2025-05-10 08:49:00'},Sat May 10, 2:49 AM,3 min,55°,55° above NNE,10° above ESE|{ts '2025-05-10 10:23:00'},Sat May 10, 4:23 AM,5 min,23°,10° above W,10° above S|

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