See the ISS from Sydney

When the International Space Station and other bright satellites can be seen from Sydney, Australia, where to look, and what's overhead right now.

Next chance to see the ISS from Sydney

Sat 14 Nov at 05:13

Low in the sky · visible for 2 min

Best chance: Tue 17 Nov at 04:27, climbing to 38° up.

Appears
05:13
10° up, in the north
Highest
05:15
19° up, in the north-east
Fades out
05:15
19° up, in the north-east

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 Sydney time

When	What	Length	Highest	Direction
Sun 8 Nov03:27	HubbleNE to E · 42 sec	42 sec	14°Low in the sky	NE to E
Sun 8 Nov03:57	TiangongSW to SE · 4 min	4 min	23°Low in the sky	SW to SE
Sun 8 Nov05:01	HubbleNW to NE · 6 min	6 min	28°Low in the sky	NW to NE
Mon 9 Nov03:00	TiangongSE to SE · 45 sec	45 sec	14°Low in the sky	SE to SE
Mon 9 Nov04:30	HubbleNW to NE · 4 min	4 min	28°Low in the sky	NW to NE
Mon 9 Nov04:32	TiangongSW to E · 6 min	6 min	41°Good	SW to E
Tue 10 Nov03:35	TiangongS to E · 3 min	3 min	29°Low in the sky	S to E
Tue 10 Nov03:59	HubbleNE to NE · 2 min	2 min	22°Low in the sky	NE to NE
Tue 10 Nov05:09	TiangongW to NE · 6 min	6 min	60°Excellent	W to NE
Wed 11 Nov04:11	TiangongSW to E · 4 min	4 min	70°Excellent	SW to E
Wed 11 Nov05:02	HubbleNW to N · 3 min	3 min	13°Low in the sky	NW to N
Thu 12 Nov03:14	TiangongE to E · 24 sec	24 sec	13°Low in the sky	E to E
Thu 12 Nov04:31	HubbleN to N · 53 sec	53 sec	12°Low in the sky	N to N
Thu 12 Nov04:46	TiangongW to NE · 5 min	5 min	30°Low in the sky	W to NE
Fri 13 Nov03:51	TiangongNE to NE · 41 sec	41 sec	15°Low in the sky	NE to NE
Fri 13 Nov20:17	TiangongN to NE · 3 min	3 min	17°Low in the sky	N to NE
Sat 14 Nov05:13	ISSN to NE · 2 min	2 min	19°Low in the sky	N to NE
Sat 14 Nov20:53	TiangongNW to E · 4 min	4 min	64°Excellent	NW to E
Sun 15 Nov04:27	ISSNE to E · 2 min	2 min	11°Low in the sky	NE to E
Sun 15 Nov21:29	TiangongW to S · 4 min	4 min	40°Good	W to S
Mon 16 Nov05:14	ISSNW to NW · 8 sec	8 sec	11°Low in the sky	NW to NW
Mon 16 Nov20:29	TiangongW to SE · 6 min	6 min	69°Excellent	W to SE
Mon 16 Nov20:43	HubbleNW to N · 3 min	3 min	18°Low in the sky	NW to N
Mon 16 Nov22:06	TiangongSW to SW · 2 min	2 min	21°Low in the sky	SW to SW
Tue 17 Nov04:27	ISSN to SE · 5 min	5 min	38°Good	N to SE

Not in Sydney? Use your own location

Where the stations are now

Updates every 5 seconds

International Space Station

Directly above: Loading…
Height: Loading…
Speed: Loading…

Tiangong space station

Directly above: Loading…
Height: Loading…
Speed: Loading…

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.