Look for passes with a high elevation (40°+) and bright magnitude (−3 or brighter) — these are the easiest to see.
STEP 2
Go out 2 minutes early
Head outside a few minutes before the rise time. The ISS is only visible during twilight — about 1-2 hours after sunset or before sunrise.
STEP 3
Face the rise direction
Look toward the compass bearing shown. The ISS appears as a bright, steady, non-blinking light — brighter than any star. Use our Skylens AR tool to point your phone at the sky.
STEP 4
Watch it cross the sky
Follow it for 2-6 minutes. It may disappear mid-pass as it enters Earth's shadow. No telescope needed — the ISS is easily visible with the naked eye.
About ISS Visibility
The International Space Station is the third-brightest object in the night sky, after the Sun and Moon. It orbits Earth at approximately 424 km altitude, completing one full orbit every 93 minutes at a speed of 27,573 km/h. This means it crosses your entire sky in just 2 to 6 minutes — much faster than any aircraft.
The ISS is visible to the naked eye several times per week from most locations on Earth, but only during specific windows. You need three conditions: the sky must be dark enough (twilight), the station must be in sunlight (so it reflects light toward you), and the orbital path must pass over your region. These conditions typically align during the 1-2 hours after sunset and before sunrise.
At its brightest, the ISS reaches magnitude −4 — comparable to Venus. Even a relatively dim pass at magnitude −1 is brighter than Sirius, the brightest star in the sky. You absolutely do not need a telescope or binoculars to see it.
Visibility follows a roughly cyclical pattern determined by the ISS's orbital inclination of 51.6°. You'll typically have 2-3 weeks of excellent viewing opportunities, followed by a period with fewer or no visible passes as the orbital geometry shifts. If there are no passes tonight, check back in a few days. The ISS has been continuously crewed for over 9,357 days — since November 2000 — and has completed more than 156,015 orbits of Earth.
For the full live tracking experience — including real-time position, ground track, sky arc diagrams, weather overlay and crew information — visit the ISS Tracker. For a detailed step-by-step viewing guide with photography tips, see How to See the ISS Tonight. You can also check visibility for Starlink trains or browse all satellite passes for your location.
It depends on your location and the current orbital geometry. The ISS is visible to the naked eye several times per week from most locations, but only during the 1-2 hours after sunset or before sunrise. Use the pass predictor at the top of this page to check tonight's visibility for your exact location, or visit the full ISS Tracker for 14-day predictions with sky arc diagrams.
The ISS appears as a very bright, steady, non-blinking light moving smoothly across the sky. Unlike aircraft, it has no flashing lights and no sound. It moves noticeably faster than a plane, crossing the entire sky in 2-6 minutes. At its brightest, it rivals Venus — the brightest object in the night sky after the Sun and Moon. Not sure if you saw it? Try our Skylens AR identifier next time, or use the "Was that the ISS?" tool above.
Pass times change every day and vary by location. Enable location at the top of this page for personalised times, or visit the ISS Tracker for the full pass predictor with sky arc diagrams, weather forecasts and calendar export. You can also sign up for email alerts to be notified before each pass.
From most locations, the ISS is visible several times per week during favourable periods. There are typically 2-3 week clusters of good viewing, followed by gaps. The best passes are those where the ISS reaches high elevation (above 40°) — these are the brightest and longest-lasting. Check your satellite pass predictions for all upcoming opportunities.
Absolutely — no equipment needed. The ISS is one of the brightest objects in the night sky and is easily visible to the naked eye. Just go outside at the right time and look in the right direction. For photography tips, see our complete viewing guide. You can also explore the brightest satellites visible tonight.
The ISS is only visible when it is sunlit while you are in darkness or twilight. During the middle of the night, the ISS passes through Earth's shadow and receives no sunlight — so it's invisible. During the day, the bright sky drowns out its reflected light. The sweet spot is the 1-2 hours after sunset and before sunrise. Learn more about orbital mechanics in our Academy.
The ISS travels at approximately 7.66 km/s (27,600 km/h or 17,150 mph). At this speed it completes a full orbit of Earth roughly every 92 minutes, meaning the crew experience about 16 sunrises and sunsets every day. You can see the live speed on our ISS Tracker. To learn how orbital speed relates to altitude, visit Orbital Academy.
The ISS measures 109 metres end-to-end — roughly the size of a football pitch — with a mass of approximately 420,000 kg and a pressurised volume of 916 m³. Its large solar arrays are what make it so bright and easy to see from the ground. Learn more on the ISS profile page or explore all space stations.
The best time is during twilight — about 1-2 hours after sunset or before sunrise. Passes with high elevation (above 40°) and bright magnitude (below −2) offer the most spectacular views. Our Pass Quality Score™ above combines elevation, brightness, duration and weather to rate each pass from 0-100, making it easy to pick the best one. Check our viewing guide for detailed tips.
Check if the International Space Station is visible tonight from your location. Enter your city above for personalised pass times.
🛰️ Full ISS Tracker
Live position, real-time telemetry, ground track, sky arc charts, crew manifest, weather overlay and more.