Sightings

See the ISS over Brussels

Belgium · local time

The International Space Station makes 5 visible passes over Brussels 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 Brussels's local clock.

At 50.9°N, Brussels sits near the edge of the ISS's 51.6° orbital band. The Station still climbs high — close to overhead on the best passes — but it leans toward the southern sky, so favour that side. Read why the ISS orbits at 51.6°.

Across the current forecast window the ISS makes 5 visible passes from Brussels: the best climbs to 47°, the brightest reaches magnitude −1.7 (bright), most appear from the WSW, and they last about 4 minutes on average.

Tue 21 Jul 22:21
Visible
6m 30s
Max height
47°
Brightness
−1.7 bright
Appears → Leaves
W → SE
60° 30° NESW rise
Where to look — the arc across your sky
Ground track — the path beneath the Station
Tue 21 Jul 23:59
Visible
3m
Max height
12°
Brightness
+0.5 faint
Appears → Leaves
WSW → SSW
60° 30° NESW rise
Where to look — the arc across your sky
Ground track — the path beneath the Station
Wed 22 Jul 23:11
Visible
4m 30s
Max height
17°
Brightness
−0.2 moderate
Appears → Leaves
WSW → S
60° 30° NESW rise
Where to look — the arc across your sky
Ground track — the path beneath the Station
Thu 23 Jul 22:23
Visible
5m 30s
Max height
24°
Brightness
−0.6 moderate
Appears → Leaves
W → SSE
60° 30° NESW rise
Where to look — the arc across your sky
Ground track — the path beneath the Station
Sat 25 Jul 22:26
Visible
2m 30s
Max height
12°
Brightness
+0.9 faint
Appears → Leaves
WSW → SSW
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 Brussels?

The next visible pass over Brussels is on Tue 21 Jul at 22:21 local time, climbing to 47° 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 Brussels?

For the next pass, look toward the W as it rises and follow it across to the SE. 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 Brussels, the highest passes lean toward the south, though the station can still climb close to overhead.

How bright does the ISS get over Brussels?

At its best in this window the station reaches magnitude −1.7 (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 Brussels'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 50.85°N, 4.35°E · orbital data updated · computed with the SGP4 model.