Orbit

What can I see in the sky tonight over Birmingham?

Worked out for Birmingham city centre (52.49°N, 1.89°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.

Birmingham city centreUse your exact location instead

Tonight over Birmingham

Sunset 18:40Dark from 19:14Light again 06:39

Last quarter, 45% lit

Nothing bright tonight. Next: Tiangong, tomorrow 06:02.

No meteor shower peak tonight. Last quarter, 45% lit.

The next 7 nights

  1. Tonight · Sat 3 Oct

    45% lit

    Nothing bright tonight. Next: Tiangong, tomorrow 06:02.

  2. Tomorrow night · Sun 4 Oct

    34% lit

  3. Monday · Mon 5 Oct

    24% lit

  4. Tuesday · Tue 6 Oct

    15% lit

  5. Wednesday · Wed 7 Oct

    8% lit

  6. Thursday · Thu 8 Oct

    3% lit

    Peak tonight: Draconids, ZHR 5, Moon 3% lit.

  7. Friday · Fri 9 Oct

    1% 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

Starlink trains over Birmingham

No Starlink train is expected over Birmingham in the next 7 nights. A Starlink train, a line of satellites one behind the other, is only visible for a few days after a launch, before the satellites spread out and climb to their working orbit.

Launch sites nearest Birmingham

  • SaxaVord: 929 km N. At best a rocket would just clear the horizon.
  • Andøya: 2,086 km NNE. Too far to see.
  • Esrange: 2,106 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 Birmingham

When can I next see the ISS from Birmingham?
No visible ISS pass from Birmingham 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 Birmingham this week?
No Starlink train is expected over Birmingham 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 Birmingham?
Last quarter, 45% lit. Fainter objects are easier to spot once the Moon is low or has set.
Are there any meteor showers visible from Birmingham this week?
Yes: the Draconids peak on Friday 9 October at 02:21, with up to 5 meteors an hour under a perfectly dark sky (far fewer from a city).
Can I see Tiangong or Hubble from Birmingham?
Yes: the next is Tiangong on Monday 5 October at 06:02 (UK time), appearing in the S and climbing to 10°, visible for 1 min.
Can I see rocket launches from Birmingham?
Rarely, and only low on the horizon. SaxaVord is 929 km to the N; a rocket climbing from there would, at best, just clear the N horizon as seen from Birmingham, so you would need a clear, flat view that way. Launches from Florida, French Guiana and California are far below the horizon from here.