Orbit

What can I see in the sky tonight over Manchester?

Worked out for Manchester city centre (53.48°N, 2.24°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.

Manchester city centreUse your exact location instead

Tonight over Manchester

Sunset 18:40Dark from 19:15Light again 06:40

Last quarter, 45% lit

Nothing bright tonight. Next: Tiangong, Tuesday 06:40.

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 06:40.

  2. Tomorrow night · Sun 4 Oct

    34% lit

    Nothing bright this night. Next: Tiangong, Tuesday 06:40.

  3. Monday · Mon 5 Oct

    24% lit

  4. Tuesday · Tue 6 Oct

    15% lit

    Nothing bright this night. Next: Draconids peak, Friday 02:21.

  5. Wednesday · Wed 7 Oct

    8% lit

    Nothing bright this night. Next: Draconids peak, Friday 02:21.

  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 Manchester

No Starlink train is expected over Manchester 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 Manchester

  • SaxaVord: 821 km N. At best a rocket would just clear the horizon.
  • Andøya: 1,991 km NNE. Too far to see.
  • Esrange: 2,019 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 Manchester

When can I next see the ISS from Manchester?
No visible ISS pass from Manchester 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 Manchester this week?
No Starlink train is expected over Manchester 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 Manchester?
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 Manchester 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 Manchester?
Yes: the next is Tiangong on Tuesday 6 October at 06:40 (UK time), appearing in the S and climbing to 10°, visible for 1 min.
Can I see rocket launches from Manchester?
Rarely, and only low on the horizon. SaxaVord is 821 km to the N; a rocket climbing from there would, at best, just clear the N horizon as seen from Manchester, so you would need a clear, flat view that way. Launches from Florida, French Guiana and California are far below the horizon from here.