Spot The Station

Sighting Location

Location: Houston, Texas, United States

RSS Bookmark Share .. Embed Print

Embed the sighting opportunities widget on your website

Display the upcoming dates and times for Houston, Texas, United States.
Visit the widget page to learn more and for additional options.

Select the color theme for your widget and hit the “Show Code” button:

Show Code

Sign Up Location: Houston, Texas, United States

Do you want email or mobile text alerts?

Who is your mobile carrier?

Alert Times

I verify this email account / phone number is mine and I have the right to register for this service.

I understand the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is not responsible for any fees that may apply to site users by their wireless carrier or internet provider.

The following ISS sightings are possible from Monday Sep 14, 2020 through Tuesday Sep 29, 2020

Date	Visible	Max Height	Appears	Disappears
Mon Sep 14, 8:42 PM	3 min	47°	10° above SSW	47° above SE
Tue Sep 15, 4:58 AM	< 1 min	14°	14° above ESE	12° above ESE
Tue Sep 15, 6:31 AM	2 min	11°	10° above WSW	10° above SW
Tue Sep 15, 7:55 PM	5 min	24°	11° above S	11° above ENE
Tue Sep 15, 9:33 PM	< 1 min	19°	17° above WNW	19° above WNW
Wed Sep 16, 5:47 AM	< 1 min	11°	11° above S	11° above S
Wed Sep 16, 8:44 PM	5 min	37°	10° above WSW	17° above NNE
Thu Sep 17, 7:56 PM	6 min	76°	10° above SW	11° above NE
Fri Sep 18, 8:49 PM	2 min	13°	12° above NW	10° above N
Sat Sep 19, 8:02 PM	3 min	21°	21° 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.