Sightings

See the ISS over Darwin

Australia · local time

The International Space Station makes 4 visible passes over Darwin 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 Darwin's local clock.

Fri 3 Jul 20:01
Visible
6m 30s
Max height
74°
Brightness
−0.8 moderate
Appears → Leaves
SW → NNE
60° 30° NESW rise
Where to look — the arc across your sky
Ground track — the path beneath the Station
Sat 4 Jul 19:13
Visible
6m 30s
Max height
42°
Brightness
−2.1 bright
Appears → Leaves
SSW → NE
60° 30° NESW rise
Where to look — the arc across your sky
Ground track — the path beneath the Station
Sun 5 Jul 20:03
Visible
4m
Max height
15°
Brightness
+4.2 very faint
Appears → Leaves
W → NNW
60° 30° NESW rise
Where to look — the arc across your sky
Ground track — the path beneath the Station
Mon 6 Jul 19:14
Visible
6m
Max height
31°
Brightness
+2.3 very faint
Appears → Leaves
WSW → NNE
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 Darwin?

The next visible pass over Darwin is on Fri 3 Jul at 20:01 local time, climbing to 74° 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 Darwin?

For the next pass, look toward the SW as it rises and follow it across to the NNE. 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 Darwin?

At its best in this window the station reaches magnitude −2.1 (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 Darwin'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 12.46°S, 130.85°E · orbital data updated · computed with the SGP4 model.