If you look up in the sky this week, you may spot a bright speck moving silently across the sky — it’s not a star, and it’s certainly not an airplane. It’s the International Space Station (ISS), and on board is Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, India’s representative in space.
This is a moment of national pride for India as one of its circles the planet. Throughout the coming days, amateur sky-watchers around the nation will get a rare glimpse at the ISS with the naked eye.
Waving at the ISS won’t get you a wave in return, but seeing it is a special way to feel attached to India’s increasing aspirations in space.
How Can You Spot the ISS From Earth?
The ISS will be visible when sunlight bounces off its surface, the same way that we observe the Moon. Yet, it won’t shine brightly enough to be observable in the daylight. Your best opportunity to spot it is shortly after sunset or just before sunrise, when the sky is dark, but the station is still lit by the sun.
At this point, it looks like a steady, bright light streak across the sky. It doesn’t blink like airplanes, and it doesn’t move as quickly as a shooting star. The ISS will generally be visible for 5 to 7 minutes based on its path and your location.
No telescopes or binoculars required. Just your eyes and some planning. Many free apps make it easier.
Hear from the #Ax4 astronauts about the significance of the mission and how we are expanding access to LEO for countries to pursue their space exploration goals, leading to advancements #ForEarth. We are building era-defining space infrastructure that drives exploration and fuels… pic.twitter.com/p6rdxMqnc9
— Axiom Space (@Axiom_Space) July 7, 2025
ISS Detector indicates its current position. The NASA Spot the Station app provides sighting schedules according to where you are and even has reminders for future passes.
ISS Viewing Schedule Over India
Issued by NASA’s tracking software, the ISS will be visible from July 8 to July 12 over several Indian cities.
- July 8: 4:59 am, 7:59 pm, 9:38 pm
- July 9: 4:10 am, 8:48 pm
- July 10: 3:22 am, 4:58 pm, 9:59 pm
- July 11: 2:34 am, 4:09 am
- July 12: Last pass at 7:59 pm
Viewers in Kerala and southern India can have the best view. On July 6, the ISS provided the audience with close to six and a half minutes of uninterrupted visibility from 7:56 pm.
Missed It? More Opportunities Ahead
If clouds hide your view this week, don’t worry. The ISS will be passing over India once again from July 24 to August 1. But by then, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla might have already finished his mission and returned home.
In the meanwhile, seize the opportunity to see this orbiting lab — a shining beacon of international cooperation and India’s spaceflight aspirations — pass silently over the Indian horizon.
