International Space Station pass times and details for the UK – May 2021
International Space Station UK Pass Times – The International Space Station – ISS is back over UK skies with some great evening passes during May 2021.
The ISS is the largest Space Station/ laboratory ever built! it can certainly be spotted with the naked eye at certain times as it orbits Earth at 17500mph at an altitude of roughly 200 miles.
Spotting the space station is especially easy and you don’t need any special equipment. You only need your eyes! Read the rest of this post to find out when and how you can spot the space station in May 2021.
How To Watch The Space Station
Check out the Beginners Guide to Seeing the ISS to learn how easy it is to spot sailing over and the Photographing the International Space Station.
You can also see this great guide on how to photograph the ISS with your iPhone.
All you need to know is when and where the International space station will be passing over your location. Luckily the United Kingdom (British Isles) is small enough for most of us who live there to see the ISS at the same time. Neighbouring countries can see the space station pass over at roughly the same time also.
Only bright passes are included in the predictions and the fainter, as a result less easy ones have been left out.
When To Watch The Space Station
The table below gives approximate pass times and basic information, this will help you spot the ISS as it passes over.
Only bright passes which can be seen from the UK are listed and the information is approximate. Therefore, UK Pass Times may differ by a few seconds, dependent on the observer’s location. Consequently, UK pass times may change at short notice if the International Space Station performs an orbital boost and changes its orbit. All Timings are local time.
Make sure you give yourself plenty of time, get your cameras ready and enjoy the ISS as it passes over and keep your eyes peeled for meteors, satellites and other objects too, they will be visible most nights!
Good luck and clear skies…..
International Space Station – ISS bright UK pass times for May 2021
UK ISS Pass Times may differ slightly to other sources and can change at short notice, so please check this page daily for accurate timings.
Don’t forget to get your tickets for the Night Sky Show at a theatre near you when you have watched the ISS fly over.
| Date | Brightness | Rises 10° over the horizon (start time) | Approaches From (start direction) | Highest Point This Pass | Sets/ Goes into Earths Shadow (direction) | Goes into Earths Shadow | Approximate ISS Pass Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 May 2021 | Bright | 21:51 | SSE | 21:53 | ESE | 21:55 | Low Pass |
| 14 May 2021 | Incredibly Bright | 23:26 | SW | 23:29 | E | 23:32 | Medium Altitude Pass |
| 15 May 2021 | Incredibly Bright | 22:39 | SW | 22:42 | E | 22:45 | Medium Altitude Pass |
| 16 May 2021 | Incredibly Bright | 21:52 | SSW | 21:55 | E | 21:57 | Medium Altitude Pass |
| 16 May 2021 | Incredibly Bright | 23:28 | WSW | 23:31 | E | 23:34 | Overhead Pass |
| 17 May 2021 | Incredibly Bright | 22:40 | WSW | 22:44 | E | 22:47 | Overhead Pass |
| 18 May 2021 | Incredibly Bright | 21:53 | SW | 21:56 | E | 21:59 | Medium Altitude Pass |
| 18 May 2021 | Incredibly Bright | 23:30 | W | 23:33 | E | 23:36 | Overhead Pass |
| 19 May 2021 | Incredibly Bright | 22:42 | W | 22:45 | E | 22:49 | Overhead Pass |
| 20 May 2021 | Incredibly Bright | 21:55 | WSW | 21:58 | E | 22:01 | Overhead Pass |
| 20 May 2021 | Incredibly Bright | 23:31 | W | 23:35 | E | 23:37 | Overhead Pass |
| 21 May 2021 | Incredibly Bright | 22:44 | W | 22:47 | E | 22:51 | Overhead Pass |
| 22 May 2021 | Incredibly Bright | 21:56 | W | 22:00 | E | 22:03 | Overhead Pass |
| 22 May 2021 | Incredibly Bright | 23:33 | W | 23:37 | SE | 23:38 | Overhead Pass |
| 23 May 2021 | Incredibly Bright | 22:46 | W | 22:49 | ESE | 22:52 | Overhead Pass |
| 24 May 2021 | Incredibly Bright | 21:58 | W | 22:02 | E | 22:05 | Overhead Pass |
| 24 May 2021 | Incredibly Bright | 23:35 | W | 23:38 | S | 23:39 | Medium Altitude Pass |
| 25 May 2021 | Incredibly Bright | 22:48 | W | 22:51 | SE | 22:53 | Overhead Pass |
| 26 May 2021 | Incredibly Bright | 22:00 | W | 22:04 | ESE | 22:07 | Overhead Pass |
| 27 May 2021 | Incredibly Bright | 22:50 | W | 22:53 | SSE | 22:54 | Medium Altitude Pass |
| 28 May 2021 | Incredibly Bright | 22:02 | W | 22:05 | SE | 22:08 | Medium Altitude Pass |
| 29 May 2021 | Bright | 22:52 | WSW | 22:54 | SSW | 22:56 | Low Pass |
| 30-May-21 | Bright | 22:04 | W | 22:07 | SSE | 22:09 | Low Pass |
THE ISS WILL RETURN TO UK EVENING SKIES JULY 2021
Data obtained using NORAD Two Line Elements. Table information created manually with with in-house satellite prediction software.
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