The 10 Best Satellites to See with the Naked Eye

You do not need a telescope or binoculars to watch satellites cross the sky. Dozens of objects in low Earth orbit are bright enough to see with your eyes alone, and with the right timing, several of them rival the brightest stars. Here are ten of the best satellites to look for, along with tips for planning your observation.

1. International Space Station (ISS)

The ISS is the single brightest satellite, regularly reaching magnitude -4. Its large solar arrays reflect enormous amounts of sunlight, making it unmistakable as it glides across the sky in two to six minutes. Track it live on the ISS tracker.

2. Starlink Trains

Freshly launched Starlink batches form a visible chain of lights moving in single file. During their first few days in orbit, they can be striking. Track The Sky's Starlink train detector highlights these recent launches and predicts their visibility.

3. Hubble Space Telescope

Orbiting at about 540 kilometers, Hubble reaches roughly magnitude 1.5 on favorable passes, making it visible as a moderately bright moving star. View its current position on the Hubble tracker.

4. China's Tiangong Space Station (CSS)

The Chinese Space Station is smaller than the ISS but still reaches magnitude -2 or brighter. It orbits at a similar altitude and can produce eye-catching passes. Track it at CSS tracker.

5. Iridium NEXT Satellites

While the original Iridium constellation was famous for predictable bright flares, the newer Iridium NEXT satellites are still visible as steady points of light at around magnitude 3 to 5. Browse them in the communication satellites category.

6. Terra and Aqua (Earth Observation)

NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites orbit in sun-synchronous paths and can reach magnitude 3. They are reliable targets during twilight windows.

7. Vanguard 1 (Historic)

Launched in 1958, Vanguard 1 is the oldest satellite still in orbit. Though too faint for naked-eye viewing (magnitude ~9), it is a fascinating target for amateur astronomers with a small telescope. Track it at Vanguard 1 tracker.

8. GOES Weather Satellites

GOES-16 and GOES-18 sit in geostationary orbit, appearing as fixed points in the sky. They require binoculars or a telescope but are rewarding targets. Explore them in the weather category.

9. Landsat 8 and Landsat 9

These Earth-imaging satellites orbit at about 705 kilometers and can be spotted during favorable passes at around magnitude 4.

10. Cosmos Debris Clusters

Fragments from the 2009 Cosmos-Iridium collision sometimes produce unexpected glints. While individual debris pieces are faint, they illustrate the reality of space debris in orbit.

Tips for Satellite Spotting

• The best viewing window is 30 to 90 minutes after sunset or before sunrise, when the sky is dark but satellites are still sunlit.
• Use Track The Sky's naked-eye visibility mode to filter for satellites bright enough to see without optics.
• Set your observer location to get accurate pass predictions, including approach direction and maximum elevation.
• Clear, dark skies away from city lights dramatically improve what you can see.