Orbit

What can I see in the sky tonight over Lerwick?

Worked out for Lerwick, Shetland (60.16°N, 1.15°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.

Lerwick, ShetlandUse your exact location instead

Tonight over Lerwick

Sunset 18:52Dark from 19:33Light again 06:18

Full moon, 100% lit

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

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

The next 7 nights

  1. Tonight · Sat 26 Sept

    100% lit

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

  2. Tomorrow night · Sun 27 Sept

    98% lit

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

  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 Lerwick

  • SaxaVord: 77 km NNE. Night launches may be visible from Lerwick.
  • Andøya: 1,293 km NNE. At best a rocket would just clear the horizon.
  • Esrange: 1,370 km NE. At best a rocket would just clear the horizon.

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 Lerwick

When can I next see the ISS from Lerwick?
No visible ISS pass from Lerwick in the next 7 nights. The ISS is only visible when it crosses a dark sky while still in sunlight, so visible passes come in runs of several days every few weeks. This page updates every hour.
Can I see a Starlink train from Lerwick this week?
No Starlink train is expected over Lerwick 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 Lerwick?
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 Lerwick 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 Lerwick?
Not in the next 7 nights. Tiangong, China's space station, passes over Lerwick less often than the ISS, and Hubble's orbit keeps it low or below the horizon from Scotland.
Can I see rocket launches from Lerwick?
Sometimes. SaxaVord is 77 km to the NNE, close enough that a night launch from there may be visible from Lerwick 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.