How to Find the International Space Station in Your Area

Have you ever wondered is there a way to know when the ISS will be flying in your area of the world? Yes there is a way!

Go to: Spot The Station dot nasa dot gov <---click on this link

Type in your location (City, State for the USA) in the area provided. Once you hit enter a map will come up. I entered Fort Wayne, Indiana

LEFT click on the blue icon to bring up "View Sighting Opportunities" and then click on those words. Do NOT Right Click!

That will bring up what I show in the second screen scan for Fort Wayne

In the example shown I believe the best viewing date would be Nov. 25th because the Space Station will be higher in the sky using the MAX HEIGHT column showing 88 degrees. Horizon will be 0 degrees so 88 degrees is looking near straight up.

You can move the map around with your mouse, plus if you rotate the mouse wheel you can zoom in or out on the map.

The chart shows 35 degrees above SW for APPEARING that is 35 degrees above the horizon then 12 degrees above NE (for DISAPPEARING) is of course 12 degrees above horizon.

The time shown of 5:50PM for 4 minutes is very exact! The chart will show either evening or early morning hours before the sun comes up.

You can also sign up at spot the station for them to send you emails when the space station will be flying over your area! Some times they have given me 24 hours notice, sometimes less than that.

If you have clear skies, the space station will be VERY BRIGHT and it will NOT be blinking.

You may or may not see the solar panels on the space station depending on the light situation where you live. If you have clear skies you WILL be able to see the space station with your eyes no problem.

HERE is a shot Graham aka mathogre took when at Epcot Center. He was just taking a scenery shot not knowing the space station was in the shot until he got home later. He used his Canon Powershot G16 at 0.8s / f1.8 ISO 1000 with his fixed 6mm lens!

I received Graham's permission to add this to my post. I thank you Graham for doing that!!

Enjoy watching the International Space Station from where you live in the world!

This is great info, Charles! Now I'll actually have to look for it on purpose. Thanks, too, for your kind support.

mathogre wrote in post #18965081
This is great info, Charles! Now I'll actually have to look for it on purpose. Thanks, too, for your kind support.

You are very welcome Graham!

Even better, See the International Space Station in front of the Moon!

https://transit-finder.com/

Choderboy wrote in post #18965579
Even better, See the International Space Station in front of the Moon!

https://transit-finder.com/

Oh that is really cool!!

Thank you Dave for sharing this information on this thread!!!!!!!!

For my location where I live it is saying the space station will transit the moon on 2019-12-09 Monday at 17:55 hours.

Now will there be clear skies in Indiana that day? There are more cloudy days in Indiana than there are clear days. (My estimation)

For finding the Space Station where I live it was scheduled to fly by yesterday Sunday 2019-11-24 at 6:39PM

Yesterday morning the sky was a crystal clear blue sky day! Oh I was so excited, but cautious as I know how quickly the skies change here in Indiana. Sure enough the skies started getting slightly cloudy by noon. By 4:00PM it was getting pretty bad. By 6:00 the sky was 95% clouds and I knew it was not going to work. Bummer!!

It's actually a fairly mediocre site, limited date range.
There are other sites but require a bit more effort and last time i tried I failed to get a result.
It's on my to do list, quite a few POTN members have posted ISS Lunar Transit pics in the Astro Forums here.

From memory the transit takes less than 1 second, about 0.8 seconds? It may very well take more than 1 attempt.

Choderboy wrote in post #18965605
It's actually a fairly mediocre site, limited date range.
There are other sites but require a bit more effort and last time i tried I failed to get a result.
It's on my to do list, quite a few POTN members have posted ISS Lunar Transit pics in the Astro Forums here.

From memory the transit takes less than 1 second, about 0.8 seconds? It may very well take more than 1 attempt.

Thanks! - this Sunday, at 07:16 is a lunar transit viewable from here. Chances of me being awake, sadly = approaching 0.00% (my kids may have other ideas!)

will report back, if conditions improve...

Inspeqtor wrote in post #18965601
Oh that is really cool!!

Thank you Dave for sharing this information on this thread!!!!!!!!

For my location where I live it is saying the space station will transit the moon on 2019-12-09 Monday at 17:55 hours.

Now will there be clear skies in Indiana that day? There are more cloudy days in Indiana than there are clear days. (My estimation)

For finding the Space Station where I live it was scheduled to fly by yesterday Sunday 2019-11-24 at 6:39PM

Yesterday morning the sky was a crystal clear blue sky day! Oh I was so excited, but cautious as I know how quickly the skies change here in Indiana. Sure enough the skies started getting slightly cloudy by noon. By 4:00PM it was getting pretty bad. By 6:00 the sky was 95% clouds and I knew it was not going to work. Bummer!!

That site is a weather predictor. It tells you when it will be cloudy, at least around the sun or moon

Choderboy wrote in post #18965605
It's actually a fairly mediocre site, limited date range.
There are other sites but require a bit more effort and last time i tried I failed to get a result.
It's on my to do list, quite a few POTN members have posted ISS Lunar Transit pics in the Astro Forums here.

From memory the transit takes less than 1 second, about 0.8 seconds? It may very well take more than 1 attempt.

Oh yes that does make sense that the transit in front of the moon would be very quick. I had not thought of that.

A pure lucky shot if you are able to get a shot in front of the moon then, right?

Capn Jack wrote in post #18965656
That site is a weather predictor. It tells you when it will be cloudy, at least around the sun or moon

Are you talking about the spot the station site or the transit site?

I am not seeing ANY weather predictions from either site.

Or are you just pulling my leg here?

Inspeqtor wrote in post #18965734
Are you talking about the spot the station site or the transit site?

I am not seeing ANY weather predictions from either site.

Or are you just pulling my leg here?

You just know the weather will be bad , or cloudy, when you want to do any astrophotography

I’ve just always used www.heavens-above.com .

Thanks Inspector, great information.

Looking forward to capturing the space station with my 300 f2.8 IS + 2x and 80D.

Celestron wrote in post #18966083
I’ve just always used www.heavens-above.com .

I clicked on the ISS link and was able to see the Earth was moving under the ISS, but how does that tell me WHEN the ISS will be in my neighborhood?

Perfectly Frank wrote in post #18966115
Thanks Inspector, great information.

Looking forward to capturing the space station with my 300 f2.8 IS + 2x and 80D.

You are welcome Frank! I tried hand holding my Sigma 150-500 a few of weeks ago but with the ISS moving in the sky I was not able to find the ISS within my view finder.

I hope you have better luck than I did!