Without a telescope
No brightness estimateWe have no brightness estimate for it, so we cannot say how easy it is to see.
Satellites›Weather satellites›TIANMU-1 17
TIANMU-1 17 is a weather satellite from China, launched on January 5, 2024 from Jiuquan, China. It is in a low orbit, 478 to 486 km above the ground, and goes around the Earth every 94.2 minutes: 15.3 times a day, at 7.62 km/s (27,400 km/h). The orbit is sun-synchronous: it crosses every place at about the same local time of day.
The gold ring is its orbit, and the line drops to the point on the ground under it. Inside the white circle it is above the horizon. Drag the globe to turn it, pinch or use the buttons to come closer; the target button brings you back to the satellite. The 2D map shows its path over the ground for the next lap: gold where it is in sunlight, dashed where it is in Earth’s shadow.
Finding TIANMU-1 17…
Finding TIANMU-1 17…
We have no brightness estimate for it, so we cannot say how easy it is to see.
Its orbit crosses close to both poles, so sooner or later it passes over every place on Earth.
A satellite shows only when your sky is dark and it is still in sunlight: in the hours after dusk and before dawn.
The app works out its passes over your exact location, alerts you before one, and leads you to it with an arrow in the camera view.
Orbit measured November 13, 2026, from CelesTrak. Heights are above the ground at the equator. Page updated November 14, 2026.
The map on this page shows where TIANMU-1 17 is at this moment, the path it will follow over the ground for the next lap, and the part of the Earth it is above the horizon for. It is worked out from the latest tracking data.
Between 478 km at its lowest and 486 km at its highest, above the ground.
About 7.62 km/s, which is 27,400 km/h. One lap of the Earth takes it 94.2 minutes, so it goes around 15.3 times a day.
No brightness estimate. We have no brightness estimate for it, so we cannot say how easy it is to see.
On January 5, 2024, from Jiuquan, China.

With the app
This page follows the satellite around the planet. The app works out when it passes over you, and leads you to it.