Satellite radar / Birmingham
See the ISS from Birmingham
When the International Space Station and other bright satellites can be seen from Birmingham, UK, where to look, and what's overhead right now.
Next chance to see the ISS from Birmingham
Thu 12 Nov at 18:21
Low in the sky · visible for 38 sec
Best chance: Mon 16 Nov at 18:21, climbing to 46° up.
Appears
18:21
10° up, in the south
Highest
18:22
12° up, in the south
Fades out
18:22
12° up, in the south
A fist at arm's length covers about 10° of sky. It looks like a bright, steady star moving quickly, with no flashing lights.
Visible passes, next 10 days
Times are Birmingham time| When | What | Highest |
|---|---|---|
| Thu 12 Nov18:21 | ISSS to S · 38 sec | 12°Low in the sky |
| Fri 13 Nov19:08 | ISSSW to SW · 36 sec | 14°Low in the sky |
| Sat 14 Nov18:21 | ISSSW to S · 2 min | 26°Low in the sky |
| Sun 15 Nov17:33 | ISSS to SE · 4 min | 20°Low in the sky |
| Sun 15 Nov19:09 | ISSSW to SW · 1 min | 20°Low in the sky |
| Mon 16 Nov16:50 | ISSSE to E · 41 sec | 12°Low in the sky |
| Mon 16 Nov18:21 | ISSSW to S · 3 min | 46°Good |
Not in Birmingham? Use your own location
Where the stations are now
Updates every 5 secondsInternational Space Station
- Directly above
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- Height
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- Speed
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Tiangong space station
- Directly above
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- Height
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Good to know
How to spot the ISS
Go outside a few minutes early and let your eyes adjust. Face the direction shown and look for a bright, steady light moving smoothly across the sky. It doesn't flash like a plane, and it crosses the sky in a few minutes. You don't need a telescope or binoculars.
Why only at dusk and dawn?
Satellites don't shine by themselves. They reflect sunlight. You can see one when your sky is dark but the Sun is still lighting it up high above you, and that mostly happens in the hours after sunset and before sunrise. A pass can end in mid-sky when the satellite enters Earth's shadow.
How to read the sky map
The map is the whole sky above you, with north at the top. The centre is straight overhead and the outer edge is the horizon. Green dots are high enough and lit by the Sun in a dark sky, though the fainter ones need a dark spot away from street lights. Grey dots are too low, in Earth's shadow, or lost in a bright sky.
How accurate are the times?
Times are calculated from the latest published orbit data, using the same standard model other trackers use. They're usually right to within a few seconds for the next day or two. The ISS sometimes adjusts its orbit, so check again on the day for passes further ahead.
Orbit data from CelesTrak.