If you look up at the night sky, you can sometimes spot a bright moving object.
At certain times of the year, the International Space Station is visible in the early morning or evening over the Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Hunter region if the weather is clear and cloudless. This is a great opportunity for families who are interested in space to spot the station.
Orbiting at 350 kilometres above the earth, the International Space Station station is an active scientific laboratory orbiting the earth and is currently conducting research into space physics and the human body in space. The space station has been continuously inhabited by humans for 20 years, supporting many scientific breakthroughs.
On board, the crew members spend about 35 hours each week conducting research in many disciplines to advance scientific knowledge in Earth, space, physical, and biological sciences for the benefit of people living on Earth.
At the moment, the International Space Centre is home to Expedition 73 Crew which have been there since 19 April 2025. Astronauts usually stay for approximately six months on the ISS.
Here’s some information about when you will be able to locate the International Space Station in the night sky for the next week.
On the NASA website, there is an online tool which indicates when and where the ISS will be visible. It even gives you directions on how to spot it in the night sky.
There is also the NASA App which you can set to get ISS alerts. Enter your location and it will alert you when it is flying over.
According to NASA, the station “looks like an airplane or a very bright star moving across the sky, except it doesn’t have flashing lights or change direction. It will also be moving considerably faster than a typical airplane (airplanes generally fly at about 600 miles per hour; the space station flies at 17,500 miles per hour)”.
The Space Station is typically visible around sunrise or sunset, because the sun reflects off the space centre and can be seen against a darker sky. Sightings are limited to only a few minutes.
If you see a line of bright white lights in the sky, this isn’t the International Space Station. Those are actually Elon Musk’s Starlink satellites. The company routinely launches chains of multiple sateillites for their space-based high speed internet. Visit the Find Starlink website to find our where they are and how to see them.
Want more ideas for family fun? Check out our article 150+ Ideas For Family Fun.