Orbit

What can I see in the sky tonight over Dublin?

Worked out for Dublin city centre (53.35°N, 6.26°W), with times in Irish 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.

Dublin city centreUse your exact location instead

Tonight over Dublin

Sunset 18:57Dark from 19:32Light again 06:57

Last quarter, 45% lit

Nothing bright tonight. Next: Tiangong, Tuesday 06:39.

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, Tuesday 06:39.

  2. Tomorrow night · Sun 4 Oct

    34% lit

    Nothing bright this night. Next: Tiangong, Tuesday 06:39.

  3. Monday · Mon 5 Oct

    24% lit

  4. Tuesday · Tue 6 Oct

    15% lit

    Nothing bright this night. Next: Tiangong, Thursday 06:18.

  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 Dublin

No Starlink train is expected over Dublin 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 Dublin

  • SaxaVord: 894 km NNE. At best a rocket would just clear the horizon.
  • Andøya: 2,107 km NNE. Too far to see.
  • Esrange: 2,165 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 Dublin

When can I next see the ISS from Dublin?
No visible ISS pass from Dublin 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 Dublin this week?
No Starlink train is expected over Dublin 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 Dublin?
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 Dublin 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 Dublin?
Yes: the next is Tiangong on Tuesday 6 October at 06:39 (Irish time), appearing in the S and climbing to 10°, visible for 1 min.
Can I see rocket launches from Dublin?
Rarely, and only low on the horizon. SaxaVord is 894 km to the NNE; a rocket climbing from there would, at best, just clear the NNE horizon as seen from Dublin, so you would need a clear, flat view that way. Launches from Florida, French Guiana and California are far below the horizon from here.