Orbit

What can I see in the sky tonight over Edinburgh?

Worked out for Edinburgh city centre (55.95°N, 3.19°W), with times in UK time. Anywhere within roughly 15 km sees almost the same thing, a minute or so earlier or later. The ISS and Tiangong are bright enough to see from a city centre; Starlink trains and Hubble are fainter and need a darker sky away from street lights.

Edinburgh city centreUse your exact location instead

Tonight over Edinburgh

Sunset 19:01Dark from 19:37Light again 06:30

Full moon, 100% lit

Nothing bright tonight. Next: ISS, tomorrow night 19:35.

No meteor shower peak tonight. Full moon, 100% lit.

The next 7 nights

  1. Tonight · Sat 26 Sept

    100% lit

    Nothing bright tonight. Next: ISS, tomorrow night 19:35.

  2. Tomorrow night · Sun 27 Sept

    98% lit

  3. Monday · Mon 28 Sept

    93% lit

    Nothing bright this night. Nothing else visible this week either: check back after the next launch.

  4. Tuesday · Tue 29 Sept

    87% lit

    Nothing bright this night. Nothing else visible this week either: check back after the next launch.

  5. Wednesday · Wed 30 Sept

    78% lit

    Nothing bright this night. Nothing else visible this week either: check back after the next launch.

  6. Thursday · Thu 1 Oct

    68% lit

    Nothing bright this night. Nothing else visible this week either: check back after the next launch.

  7. Friday · Fri 2 Oct

    57% lit

    Nothing bright this night. Nothing else visible this week either: check back after the next launch.

Launches this week

Where is the ISS right now? Live ISS map

Launch sites nearest Edinburgh

  • SaxaVord: 559 km NNE. Night launches may be visible from Edinburgh.
  • Andøya: 1,762 km NNE. A launch stays below the horizon from here.
  • Esrange: 1,814 km NNE. Too far to see.

From a straight-climb model of each site’s usual launch direction, for a night launch in a clear sky. An estimate.

Questions about the sky over Edinburgh

When can I next see the ISS from Edinburgh?
The next visible pass of the International Space Station over Edinburgh is on Sunday 27 September at 19:35 (UK time), appearing in the SW and climbing to 15°, visible for 3 min.
Can I see a Starlink train from Edinburgh this week?
No Starlink train is expected over Edinburgh in the next 7 nights. Trains are only visible for a few days after a launch, before the satellites spread out and climb to their working orbit.
What phase is the Moon tonight in Edinburgh?
Full moon, 100% lit. A bright Moon washes out faint satellites and meteors, but the ISS is still easy to see.
Are there any meteor showers visible from Edinburgh this week?
No major meteor shower peaks in the next 7 nights. The next peak will appear here once it is within a week.
Can I see Tiangong or Hubble from Edinburgh?
Not in the next 7 nights. Tiangong, China's space station, passes over Edinburgh less often than the ISS, and Hubble's orbit keeps it low or below the horizon from Scotland.
Can I see rocket launches from Edinburgh?
Sometimes. SaxaVord is 559 km to the NNE, close enough that a night launch from there may be visible from Edinburgh a few minutes after lift-off, if the sky is clear. The sky forecast above flags any launch with a firm time. It is an estimate from the site's distance and a typical climb.