International Space Station to be visible from India this week
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Skywatchers in India are in for a celestial treat this week, as the International Space Station (ISS) will be visible on several occasions until July 12.
Adding to the excitement, Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is currently aboard the orbiting station, making this a moment of national pride.
The ISS, which orbits Earth at a speed of approximately 28,000 kilometers per hour, completes one full circle around the planet every 90 minutes. This rapid orbit gives astronauts onboard the experience of 16 sunrises and sunsets every day.
As a collaborative scientific platform, the ISS plays a crucial role in various research missions - from climate monitoring to paving the way for future deep space explorations to the Moon and Mars.
Spotting the ISS doesn’t require any equipment. It’s visible to the naked eye under the right conditions.
NASA recommends looking for it shortly before sunrise or just after sunset when the station reflects sunlight and becomes clearly visible in the sky.
The ISS appears as a fast-moving bright object, similar to a star or airplane, but without blinking lights and without changing its path.
Here are the scheduled sighting times for India (local time):
July 8:
4:59 a.m. – 5:05 a.m.
7:59 p.m. – 8:06 p.m.
9:38 p.m. – 9:41 p.m.
July 9:
4:10 a.m. – 4:16 a.m.
8:48 p.m. – 8:53 p.m.
July 10:
3:22 a.m. – 3:27 a.m.
4:58 a.m. – 5:04 a.m.
7:59 p.m. – 8:05 p.m.
July 11:
2:34 a.m. – 2:36 a.m.
4:09 a.m. – 4:15 a.m.
July 12:
7:59 p.m. – 8:03 p.m.
If the weather prevents visibility during these dates, another viewing opportunity is expected between July 24 and August 1. However, it’s worth noting that by then, Captain Shukla may have completed his mission and returned to Earth.
To make tracking easier, apps like NASA’s Spot the Station and the ISS Detector (available on Android and iOS) offer real-time updates, notifications, and flyover schedules specific to your location. These tools also provide information in multiple languages and are accessible worldwide.
