Sightings

See the ISS over Auckland

New Zealand · local time

The International Space Station makes 6 visible passes over Auckland in the next few nights. Each one is a bright, fast-moving point of light crossing the sky in a matter of minutes — no telescope needed. Times below are in Auckland's local clock.

At 36.8°S, Auckland lies well inside the ISS's 51.6° orbital band, so the Station can climb almost to the zenith — its highest, brightest passes appear near straight overhead and can cross any part of the sky. Read why the ISS orbits at 51.6°.

Across the current forecast window the ISS makes 6 visible passes from Auckland: the best climbs to 74°, the brightest reaches magnitude −1.9 (bright), most appear from the S, and they last about 5 minutes on average.

Mon 27 Jul 06:50
Visible
3m 30s
Max height
14°
Brightness
+0.6 faint
Appears → Leaves
S → ESE
60° 30° NESW rise
Where to look — the arc across your sky
Ground track — the path beneath the Station
Tue 28 Jul 06:03
Visible
2m
Max height
11°
Brightness
+1.4 faint
Appears → Leaves
S → SE
60° 30° NESW rise
Where to look — the arc across your sky
Ground track — the path beneath the Station
Wed 29 Jul 06:51
Visible
6m
Max height
28°
Brightness
−0.2 moderate
Appears → Leaves
SSW → E
60° 30° NESW rise
Where to look — the arc across your sky
Ground track — the path beneath the Station
Thu 30 Jul 06:03
Visible
5m
Max height
19°
Brightness
+0.4 faint
Appears → Leaves
SSW → ESE
60° 30° NESW rise
Where to look — the arc across your sky
Ground track — the path beneath the Station
Fri 31 Jul 05:16
Visible
3m 30s
Max height
14°
Brightness
+2.8 very faint
Appears → Leaves
S → ESE
60° 30° NESW rise
Where to look — the arc across your sky
Ground track — the path beneath the Station
Fri 31 Jul 06:52
Visible
7m
Max height
74°
Brightness
−1.9 bright
Appears → Leaves
SW → NE
60° 30° NESW rise
Where to look — the arc across your sky
Ground track — the path beneath the Station
See it live from your exact spot Get pass alerts on your phone

How to read this

  • Max height — how high the ISS climbs above the horizon at its peak, in degrees (90° is straight overhead). Higher passes are brighter and easier to spot.
  • Brightness — apparent magnitude; lower (more negative) is brighter. At its best the ISS outshines every star.
  • Appears → Leaves — the compass direction it rises from and sets toward. The station always tracks roughly west-to-east.

Want the underlying mechanics? Read how to spot the ISS, why passes only happen at dawn and dusk, and how the station's brightness is worked out.

Frequently asked

When is the ISS visible from Auckland?

The next visible pass over Auckland is on Mon 27 Jul at 06:50 local time, climbing to 14° above the horizon. The station is only visible when it is sunlit and your sky is dark — around dawn and dusk — so favourable windows come in clusters of a few days, then disappear for a week or two as the orbit drifts.

Which direction should I look to see the ISS from Auckland?

For the next pass, look toward the S as it rises and follow it across to the ESE. The ISS always travels roughly west-to-east and crosses in two to six minutes — no telescope needed, it looks like a bright, steady star moving steadily across the sky. From Auckland, the ISS can pass directly overhead, so it may appear in any part of the sky.

How bright does the ISS get over Auckland?

At its best in this window the station reaches magnitude −1.9 (bright) — bright enough to outshine every star and most planets. The higher it climbs and the closer it passes to overhead, the brighter it appears.

Are these ISS pass times accurate?

Yes — they are computed from the latest published orbital element set (TLE) using the standard SGP4 model, the same maths professional tracking tools use. Times are shown in Auckland's local clock and refreshed continuously as a newer element set is published. For a live sky view and a phone-pointing AR mode, use the tracker on the home page.

Coordinates 36.85°S, 174.76°E · orbital data updated · computed with the SGP4 model.