Guides
What to look for, and how to find it
Short, practical guides to the things you can see in the night sky with your own eyes. No telescope needed for any of them.
How to see the International Space Station tonight
The space station is the easiest satellite to see with your own eyes. Here is when it is visible, where to look, what it looks like, and why it sometimes vanishes in the middle of the sky.
Read the guide →What is that bright star? How to tell a planet from a star
The brightest "star" in the sky is usually a planet. Six quick checks tell you whether you are looking at Venus, Jupiter, Mars, Sirius, a satellite or a plane.
Read the guide →How to see a Starlink train
A line of bright dots crossing the sky in single file is a Starlink train, a batch of satellites a few days after launch. Here is what it is, when it can be seen and how to catch one.
Read the guide →Geminid meteor shower 2026: when and where to look
The Geminids peak on the night of December 13–14, 2026, under a thin Moon that sets in the evening. When to go out, where to face, how many meteors to expect and how to give yourself the best chance.
Read the guide →Then check tonight’s sky
Or let your phone point the way.
Star & Planet Finder draws an arrow over the real sky that leads you to any planet, star, constellation or satellite.
Download on the App Store