Satellites Visible from Jeddah
Tonight
Satellite viewing from Jeddah on the night of 23 August 2026 is rated GOOD NIGHT: 2 visible ISS, Tiangong or Hubble passes, the best reaching 45° above the horizon. The best window for satellite spotting over Jeddah on 23 August 2026 is 19:03–20:20 and 04:17–05:34 GMT+3, when most satellites are still catching sunlight. Between those windows the sky is dark but the majority sit inside Earth’s shadow. Individual satellites in lower orbits can be visible a little outside these times. The best pass of the night is picked from live orbital data — the one that climbs highest and stays visible longest.
At 9pm local on 23 August 2026, no naked-eye planets are above the horizon from Jeddah. Planets rise and set like the stars, so the picture changes through the night and across the year.
Jeddah (21.5°N) — the ISS can climb high overhead here, giving bright, well-placed passes.
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia is perfectly placed for satellite spotting. The ISS, Tiangong, Hubble, and AST BlueBird satellites all pass overhead — OrbitalNodes.ai shows you exactly when and where to look, personalised to your exact location.
Observing notesEvening twilight begins 30 min after sunset, morning 45 min before sunrise. Best viewing away from the city-centre light dome, toward darker outskirts — best October to March, when northern nights are longest.
🛰 SEE SATELLITES OVER JEDDAH NOWWhat Jeddah's latitude means for satellite spotting
Latitude decides what you can see, and Jeddah’s is 21.5°N. The ISS is your standout target: at magnitude −4 it cuts straight through city skyglow, and from 21° it can climb to high passes several nights a week. China’s Tiangong, on a 41.5° inclination, also rides high from here — a second naked-eye station over the city.
Beyond the bright stations, your latitude sets what else is up there. Look for the Milky Way’s core, which reaches a useful height — about 40° up in the south at best — though from the city its glow is mostly lost to light pollution; an hour out toward darker skies brings it back. The Magellanic Clouds never rise from here at all — they belong to more southerly skies. Polaris sits about 21° above your northern horizon to orient by. Autumn and winter, with their longer nights, give the steadiest viewing.
Jeddah is nearly always cloud-free — Red Sea humidity haze is the limiter; inland desert escarpment air is drier and darker within an hour or two.
SATELLITE SPOTTING FROM JEDDAH
When can I see the ISS from Jeddah?
The ISS appears during twilight — roughly 30 to 60 minutes after sunset or before sunrise. From Jeddah's latitude of 21.5°N the best passes climb nearly overhead, and the brightest take four to six minutes to cross. Use the live tracker above for tonight's exact times and headings.
What satellites are visible from Jeddah?
From Jeddah the headline targets are the ISS (magnitude −4, the brightest), Tiangong, the Hubble Space Telescope and the AST BlueBird satellites. Bright Starlink trains occasionally cross too, soon after a launch.
Where is the best place to watch satellites in Jeddah?
The bright stations cut through city glow, but fainter targets reward darker ground. A short drive away from direct street lighting is enough to bring out the faint passes. Polaris and the Big Dipper help you orient.
Can I see satellites from Jeddah city centre?
Yes. At magnitude −4 the ISS punches straight through Jeddah's light pollution and needs no equipment, and Tiangong usually shows from the centre too. Only the fainter satellites really need darker skies.
Does Jeddah's latitude make it good for satellite spotting?
Largely yes — 21.5°N is a strong latitude, with high, bright ISS passes nearly overhead and access to a wide spread of orbits. Tiangong, China's space station, can also ride high here and is an easy second naked-eye target.
What is the best season for satellite spotting in Jeddah?
The strongest window is October to March: longer winter darkness and steadier air, tailing off through the short, hazy summer nights.
Jeddah sits in the Northern Hemisphere — and when EARENDIL-1 launches, its steerable mirror could illuminate targeted cities during passes. Track space-mirror passes on OrbitalSolar.ai →
WHAT'S VISIBLE FROM HERE
From Jeddah (21.49°N) you have access to a wide range of satellites — here's what's visible and what isn't: