See the ISS over Hamburg
The International Space Station makes 2 visible passes over Hamburg 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 Hamburg's local clock.
At 53.6°N, Hamburg lies beyond the ISS's 51.6° orbital band, so the Station never reaches the zenith here — its ceiling is about 61° above the southern horizon. Always look south: the highest passes hug that side of the sky. Read why the ISS orbits at 51.6°.
Across the current forecast window the ISS makes 2 visible passes from Hamburg: the best climbs to 24°, the brightest reaches magnitude −0.7 (moderate), most appear from the W, and they last about 5 minutes on average.
- Visible
- 5m 30s
- Max height
- 24°
- Brightness
- −0.7 moderate
- Appears → Leaves
- W → SSE
- Visible
- 3m 30s
- Max height
- 13°
- Brightness
- +0.3 faint
- Appears → Leaves
- WSW → S
Every pass in this list has already happened — a fresh forecast is generated automatically. Reload in a little while, or use the live tracker for your exact location.
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 Hamburg?
The next visible pass over Hamburg is on Tue 21 Jul at 22:22 local time, climbing to 24° 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 Hamburg?
For the next pass, look toward the W as it rises and follow it across to the SSE. 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 Hamburg's latitude the ISS never crosses to the north — keep your eyes on the southern sky, where its highest passes stay.
How bright does the ISS get over Hamburg?
At its best in this window the station reaches magnitude −0.7 (moderate) — 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 Hamburg'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 53.55°N, 9.99°E · orbital data updated · computed with the SGP4 model.