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Location: Seattle, Washington, 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
Fri Sep 13, 5:49 AM 5 min 25° 13° above W 10° above SSE  
Sat Sep 14, 5:03 AM 2 min 36° 36° above S 11° above SE  
Sun Sep 15, 5:50 AM < 1 min 11° 11° above SW 10° above SSW  
Thu Sep 19, 8:54 PM 2 min 28° 10° above SSW 28° above S  
Fri Sep 20, 8:07 PM 4 min 23° 11° above SSW 17° above E  
Fri Sep 20, 9:42 PM 1 min 22° 10° above WSW 22° above WSW  
Sat Sep 21, 8:54 PM 3 min 80° 10° above WSW 79° above SE  
Sun Sep 22, 8:05 PM 6 min 53° 10° above SW 15° above ENE  
Sun Sep 22, 9:42 PM 2 min 25° 10° above W 25° above WNW  
Mon Sep 23, 8:55 PM 2 min 57° 22° above W 51° above NNE  
Tue Sep 24, 8:07 PM 4 min 76° 27° above WSW 17° above ENE  
Tue Sep 24, 9:43 PM < 1 min 24° 20° above WNW 24° above NW  
Wed Sep 25, 8:56 PM 2 min 41° 28° above WNW 38° above NNE  
Thu Sep 26, 8:07 PM 3 min 47° 36° above WNW 15° above ENE  
Thu Sep 26, 9:43 PM < 1 min 20° 17° above WNW 20° above NW  
Fri Sep 27, 7:20 PM 3 min 53° 53° above NNE 11° above ENE  
Fri Sep 27, 8:55 PM 2 min 39° 24° above NW 38° 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, 4:43 AM 4 min 81° 81° above SSW 10° above ESE  
Sat Sep 14, 6:18 AM 3 min 17° 11° above W 16° above SSW  
Sun Sep 15, 4:14 AM 2 min 30° 30° above ESE 10° above ESE  
Sun Sep 15, 5:49 AM 4 min 20° 14° above WSW 10° above S  
Mon Sep 16, 5:21 AM 2 min 21° 21° above SSW 10° above S  
Thu Sep 19, 8:46 PM 1 min 18° 10° above S 18° above S  
Fri Sep 20, 8:16 PM 3 min 20° 10° above S 19° above ESE  
Fri Sep 20, 9:53 PM < 1 min 15° 10° above WSW 15° above WSW  
Sat Sep 21, 7:46 PM 5 min 18° 10° above S 10° above E  
Sat Sep 21, 9:23 PM 3 min 47° 10° above WSW 47° above WSW  
Sun Sep 22, 8:53 PM 4 min 76° 10° above WSW 65° above E  
Mon Sep 23, 8:23 PM 5 min 69° 10° above SW 28° above ENE  
Mon Sep 23, 10:02 PM 1 min 20° 12° above W 20° above WNW  
Tue Sep 24, 7:53 PM 6 min 62° 10° above SW 13° above ENE  
Tue Sep 24, 9:32 PM 2 min 38° 14° above W 38° above NW  
Wed Sep 25, 7:24 PM 6 min 56° 15° above SW 10° above ENE  
Wed Sep 25, 9:03 PM 2 min 49° 24° above WNW 46° above NNE  
Thu Sep 26, 8:33 PM 3 min 52° 28° above WNW 26° above NE  
Thu Sep 26, 10:10 PM < 1 min 14° 12° above WNW 14° above WNW  
Fri Sep 27, 8:04 PM 4 min 54° 34° above WNW 16° above ENE  
Fri Sep 27, 9:41 PM < 1 min 27° 19° above WNW 27° above NW  
Sat Sep 28, 7:34 PM 4 min 58° 41° above WNW 11° above ENE  
Sat Sep 28, 9:12 PM 1 min 40° 23° above NW 40° above NNW  
Sun Sep 29, 8:42 PM 2 min 42° 26° above NW 36° above NE  
Sun Sep 29, 10:18 PM < 1 min 10° 10° above WNW 10° above WNW  
Mon Sep 30, 8:12 PM 3 min 42° 26° above NW 23° above ENE  
Mon Sep 30, 9:49 PM < 1 min 18° 15° above WNW 18° above WNW  
Tue Oct 1, 7:42 PM 4 min 42° 26° above NW 14° above ENE  
Tue Oct 1, 9:20 PM 1 min 37° 21° above WNW 37° above NW  
Wed Oct 2, 7:12 PM 5 min 42° 26° above NW 10° above ENE  
Wed Oct 2, 8:50 PM 2 min 62° 25° above WNW 62° above N  
Thu Oct 3, 8:20 PM 3 min 61° 25° above WNW 48° above ENE  
Thu Oct 3, 9:57 PM < 1 min 11° 11° above WNW 11° above WNW  
2019-09-13 12:49:00.0,Fri Sep 13, 5:49 AM,5 min,25°,13° above W,10° above SSE|2019-09-14 12:03:00.0,Sat Sep 14, 5:03 AM,2 min,36°,36° above S,11° above SE|2019-09-15 12:50:00.0,Sun Sep 15, 5:50 AM,< 1 min,11°,11° above SW,10° above SSW|2019-09-20 03:54:00.0,Thu Sep 19, 8:54 PM,2 min,28°,10° above SSW,28° above S|2019-09-21 03:07:00.0,Fri Sep 20, 8:07 PM,4 min,23°,11° above SSW,17° above E|2019-09-21 04:42:00.0,Fri Sep 20, 9:42 PM,1 min,22°,10° above WSW,22° above WSW|2019-09-22 03:54:00.0,Sat Sep 21, 8:54 PM,3 min,80°,10° above WSW,79° above SE|2019-09-23 03:05:00.0,Sun Sep 22, 8:05 PM,6 min,53°,10° above SW,15° above ENE|2019-09-23 04:42:00.0,Sun Sep 22, 9:42 PM,2 min,25°,10° above W,25° above WNW|2019-09-24 03:55:00.0,Mon Sep 23, 8:55 PM,2 min,57°,22° above W,51° above NNE|2019-09-25 03:07:00.0,Tue Sep 24, 8:07 PM,4 min,76°,27° above WSW,17° above ENE|2019-09-25 04:43:00.0,Tue Sep 24, 9:43 PM,< 1 min,24°,20° above WNW,24° above NW|2019-09-26 03:56:00.0,Wed Sep 25, 8:56 PM,2 min,41°,28° above WNW,38° above NNE|2019-09-27 03:07:00.0,Thu Sep 26, 8:07 PM,3 min,47°,36° above WNW,15° above ENE|2019-09-27 04:43:00.0,Thu Sep 26, 9:43 PM,< 1 min,20°,17° above WNW,20° above NW|2019-09-28 02:20:00.0,Fri Sep 27, 7:20 PM,3 min,53°,53° above NNE,11° above ENE|2019-09-28 03:55:00.0,Fri Sep 27, 8:55 PM,2 min,39°,24° above NW,38° 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