ISS Tracker & Spotter

Quick ISS facts

• Speed: ~28,000 km/h
• Altitude: ~408 km
• Orbit: ~90 min
• Size: about a football field
• Visible to the naked eye

When and how to see it

• Best time: Around 1–2 hours after sunset or before sunrise. The sky is dark but the ISS is still in sunlight, so it looks like a bright moving star.
• What to look for: A steady, bright light (no blinking). It moves smoothly and quite fast—crossing the sky in a few minutes. Brighter than most stars; no red or green lights like a plane.
• Direction: It often appears in the west and moves toward the east. Use your pass prediction to know where to look first.
• Be on time: Be outside 5 minutes before the time shown. If you’re a few minutes late you can miss it.
• No telescope: Your eyes are best. Binoculars or a telescope make it hard to follow because it moves quickly.

Step-by-step spotting

1. Pick a pass from the table and note the time. Go outside 5–10 minutes before.
2. Face the direction where the ISS will first appear (often west). Use a compass app if you need to.
3. Look low on the horizon. You’ll see a bright “star” that’s moving. That’s the ISS.
4. Watch it cross the sky. It may disappear suddenly when it goes into Earth’s shadow.

Why you can see it

• Why it’s bright: The ISS has huge solar panels that reflect sunlight. So when the Sun is still shining on it and your sky is dark, it stands out like a slow-moving star.
• Orbit: The ISS orbits at about 51.6° to the equator, so it passes over most of the world’s people. It goes around Earth roughly 16 times a day.
• Why it disappears: Sometimes it vanishes mid-pass because it has moved into Earth’s shadow. No more sunlight on it—so you can’t see it until it comes out again.

ISS facts

• • One of the brightest objects in the night sky (after the Moon and Venus).
• • About 109 m long—roughly a football field. People have lived on it since 2000.
• • Orbits around 400 km above Earth. The air there is very thin but still slows it down, so the station is boosted higher from time to time.
• • Built by NASA, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada. Dozens of countries have sent astronauts.

Key dates

• 1998: First piece (Zarya) launched. The ISS was built in space over many years.
• 2000: First crew moved in. The station has been occupied ever since.
• 2011: Assembly finished. It’s the largest thing humans have put in space.
• 2020: SpaceX started flying astronauts there, beginning the commercial crew era.

Photographing the ISS

Use a tripod and a camera that can take long exposures (e.g. 15–30 seconds). Set a wide aperture (e.g. f/2.8) and high ISO (e.g. 1600). Point the camera where the ISS will pass and take the shot when it appears. You’ll get a bright streak across the sky. Watch with your eyes first, then try a few photos.

Myths vs truth

• Myth: You need a telescope. Truth: You can see it with your eyes. It’s very bright. A telescope actually makes it harder to follow.
• Myth: It only passes over some countries. Truth: Its orbit covers most of the world (between about 52°N and 52°S). You can see it from many places.
• Myth: It looks like a plane. Truth: Planes blink and have coloured lights. The ISS is one steady, bright white light and doesn’t blink.

Quick questions

How often can I see it?

From most places you can see it several times a week, sometimes every day. It depends on your latitude and the time of year. Use the pass table above for your location.

Do I need a telescope?

No. The ISS is easy to see with the naked eye. It looks like a bright, fast-moving star. Telescopes are better for planets and faint objects.

What’s the best time?

Twilight—about an hour after sunset or before sunrise. The sky is dark enough to see it, but the ISS is still in sunlight so it’s bright. Passes in the middle of the night often don’t show the ISS because it’s in Earth’s shadow.

How do I tell it from a plane?

The ISS doesn’t blink. It’s one steady light moving in a smooth path. Planes have blinking lights and look different. Once you’ve seen the ISS, it’s easy to recognise.