Sightings

See the ISS over Medellín

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

Fri 3 Jul 19:32
Visible
6m
Max height
33°
Brightness
+0.7 faint
Appears → Leaves
S → ENE
60° 30° NESW rise
Where to look — the arc across your sky
Ground track — the path beneath the Station
Sat 4 Jul 18:45
Visible
4m
Max height
15°
Brightness
−0.8 moderate
Appears → Leaves
SSE → E
60° 30° NESW rise
Where to look — the arc across your sky
Ground track — the path beneath the Station
Sat 4 Jul 20:21
Visible
4m 30s
Max height
17°
Brightness
+4.1 very faint
Appears → Leaves
W → N
60° 30° NESW rise
Where to look — the arc across your sky
Ground track — the path beneath the Station
Sun 5 Jul 19:32
Visible
6m 30s
Max height
38°
Brightness
+1.8 faint
Appears → Leaves
WSW → NNE
60° 30° NESW rise
Where to look — the arc across your sky
Ground track — the path beneath the Station
Mon 6 Jul 18:44
Visible
6m 30s
Max height
81°
Brightness
−1.7 bright
Appears → Leaves
SSW → NE
60° 30° NESW rise
Where to look — the arc across your sky
Ground track — the path beneath the Station

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 Medellín?

The next visible pass over Medellín is on Fri 3 Jul at 19:32 local time, climbing to 33° 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 Medellín?

For the next pass, look toward the S as it rises and follow it across to the ENE. 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 Medellín?

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 Medellín'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 6.24°N, 75.58°W · orbital data updated · computed with the SGP4 model.