Sightings

See the ISS over Canberra

Australia · local time

The International Space Station makes 7 visible passes over Canberra 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 Canberra's local clock.

Sun 28 Jun 18:03
Visible
3m 30s
Max height
14°
Brightness
−0.2 moderate
Appears → Leaves
S → ESE
60° 30° NESW rise
Where to look — the arc across your sky
Ground track — the path beneath the Station
Mon 29 Jun 18:50
Visible
7m
Max height
49°
Brightness
+1.0 faint
Appears → Leaves
SW → ENE
60° 30° NESW rise
Where to look — the arc across your sky
Ground track — the path beneath the Station
Tue 30 Jun 18:03
Visible
6m
Max height
29°
Brightness
−1.5 bright
Appears → Leaves
SSW → E
60° 30° NESW rise
Where to look — the arc across your sky
Ground track — the path beneath the Station
Wed 1 Jul 18:51
Visible
6m 30s
Max height
45°
Brightness
+0.5 faint
Appears → Leaves
WSW → NNE
60° 30° NESW rise
Where to look — the arc across your sky
Ground track — the path beneath the Station
Thu 2 Jul 18:03
Visible
7m
Max height
80°
Brightness
−1.7 bright
Appears → Leaves
SW → NE
60° 30° NESW rise
Where to look — the arc across your sky
Ground track — the path beneath the Station
Fri 3 Jul 18:54
Visible
3m 30s
Max height
14°
Brightness
+3.8 very faint
Appears → Leaves
WNW → NNW
60° 30° NESW rise
Where to look — the arc across your sky
Ground track — the path beneath the Station
Sat 4 Jul 18:05
Visible
5m 30s
Max height
25°
Brightness
+2.4 very faint
Appears → Leaves
WSW → N
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 Canberra?

The next visible pass over Canberra is on Sun 28 Jun at 18:03 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 Canberra?

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.

How bright does the ISS get over Canberra?

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 Canberra'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 35.28°S, 149.13°E · orbital data updated · computed with the SGP4 model.