Orbit

What can I see in the sky tonight over Bristol?

Worked out for Bristol city centre (51.45°N, 2.59°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.

Bristol city centreUse your exact location instead

Tonight over Bristol

Sunset 18:43Dark from 19:16Light again 06:42

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

Launches this week

Where is the ISS right now? Live ISS map

Starlink trains over Bristol

No Starlink train is expected over Bristol 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 Bristol

  • SaxaVord: 1,047 km N. At best a rocket would just clear the horizon.
  • Andøya: 2,210 km NNE. Too far to see.
  • Esrange: 2,230 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 Bristol

When can I next see the ISS from Bristol?
No visible ISS pass from Bristol 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 Bristol this week?
No Starlink train is expected over Bristol 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 Bristol?
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 Bristol 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 Bristol?
Yes: the next is Tiangong on Monday 5 October at 06:02 (UK time), appearing in the SSW and climbing to 12°, visible for 3 min.
Can I see rocket launches from Bristol?
Rarely, and only low on the horizon. SaxaVord is 1,047 km to the N; a rocket climbing from there would, at best, just clear the N horizon as seen from Bristol, so you would need a clear, flat view that way. Launches from Florida, French Guiana and California are far below the horizon from here.