China’s Tiangong space station will be visible over the eastern U.S. through September 9—here's how to spot it

Skywatchers across the eastern U.S. have a bright space station to look out for this week. Tiangong will make several high passes, and on the best ones, it could appear almost directly overhead. Tiangong’s orbit passes over the eastern U.S., including New York City. The station can appear very high in the sky over the city during some of these passes.

When can you see Tiangong from the eastern U.S.?

Tiangong will be visible during several evening passes over parts of the eastern U.S. through September 9. The station will pass high over the East Coast on some evenings, making it bright enough to spot without a telescope. In New York City, Tiangong will be visible around 8:46 p.m. EDT on Thursday, September 3.

The station will reach as high as 84 degrees above the horizon. On Wednesday, September 9, it will appear around 7:47 p.m. and reach about 88 degrees above the horizon. The time will be different in other places, so check the pass for your location before going outside. Tiangong will be visible for a few minutes as it moves across the sky.

Why will Tiangong be so bright?

Tiangong will still be catching sunlight when it passes over the eastern U.S. in the evening. For people on the ground, the Sun will already have set and the sky will be dark.  Tiangong has two large solar-panel wings, as well as its modules and radiators.

These parts reflect sunlight and make the station visible from Earth. The station can also change in brightness during a pass. At some points, it may look brighter and at others, it may look fainter. During a good pass, Tiangong can reach about magnitude –2, close to the brightness of Jupiter.

How does Tiangong compare with the ISS?

Tiangong is not as bright as the International Space Station, but it can still put on a good show in the evening sky. During a favorable pass, Tiangong can reach about magnitude –2, while the ISS can appear around magnitude –4 to –5. Tiangong is also smaller than the ISS. It orbits at a similar height above Earth, but its orbit is tilted about 41.5 degrees, compared with about 51.6 degrees for the ISS.

 This means Tiangong does not pass as far north, so it is seen less often from some parts of the U.S. For the eastern U.S., the current passes are a good chance to spot Tiangong because some of them will be both bright and high in the sky.

Tiangong viewing times from New York City

New York City is in for several good chances to spot Tiangong this week. The station will make evening passes from September 2 through September 9, with some of the best ones reaching high into the sky.

Here are the upcoming viewing times for New York City:

How can you spot Tiangong in the evening sky?

Tiangong will look like a bright, steady point of light moving across the sky. It will not have the flashing lights seen on an aircraft. The station will move quickly enough to notice its movement against the background stars. For these evening passes, Tiangong will generally appear in the southwest and move toward the northeast. It can remain visible for only a few minutes, so it is better to be outside before the listed time.

A telescope is not required to see Tiangong. A clear view of the sky should be enough because of its brightness. However, cloudy weather can make the station difficult to spot. The exact time and path will change according to your location. Check a local Tiangong pass prediction before going outside so you know where and when to look.

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