Santa’s Sleigh Or The ISS? How To Spot A Bright Dawn Flyby On Dec. 24–25

Daisy Dobrijevic|Space

Dec 24•3 min read

Santa’s Sleigh Or The ISS? How To Spot A Bright Dawn Flyby On Dec. 24–25

The International Space Station streaks through the sky filled with faint auroras and STEVE. | Credit: Alan Dyer/Stocktrek Images via Getty Images

Before sunrise on Dec. 24 and Dec. 25, observers across parts of North America and Europe may see a bright, steady point of light cross the dawn sky — the International Space Station. The ISS appears non-blinking and moves smoothly, visible to the naked eye for a few minutes if you are in the right place and the sky is clear. Local viewing windows for cities including New York, Chicago, Toronto, London and Rome are provided, and NASA’s Spot the Station lists future overhead passes to confirm sightings.

Early risers across parts of North America and Europe may notice an unusual — and beautiful — sight in the dawn sky this Christmas: a bright, silent point of light gliding steadily overhead before sunrise on Dec. 24 and Dec. 25.

What You’ll See

The object won’t flash like an airplane or leave a vapor trail. Instead it will appear suddenly, move smoothly across the sky and fade within minutes. This steady, non-blinking light is the International Space Station (ISS), catching sunlight and reflecting it toward observers on the ground during certain early-morning passes.

When And Where To Look

Visibility windows depend on your location and local time. Below are selected viewing windows for major cities (weather permitting), compiled from AstroViewer.net. Times are given in each city’s local time zone and show the approximate pass start and end times, the pass duration, and the maximum altitude above the horizon:

New York — Dec. 24: 6:43–6:48 a.m. EST; Duration: ~5 min; Max Altitude: 19°
New York — Dec. 25: 5:56–5:59 a.m. EST; Duration: ~3 min; Max Altitude: 16°
Chicago — Dec. 24: 5:42–5:45 a.m. CST; Duration: ~3 min; Max Altitude: 16°
Chicago — Dec. 25: 6:29–6:35 a.m. CST; Duration: ~6 min; Max Altitude: 26°
Toronto — Dec. 24: 6:42–6:47 a.m. EST; Duration: ~5 min; Max Altitude: 25°
Toronto — Dec. 25: 7:30–7:35 a.m. EST; Duration: ~5 min; Max Altitude: 56°
London — Dec. 24: 7:04–7:10 a.m. GMT; Duration: ~6 min; Max Altitude: 55°
London — Dec. 25: 6:17–6:22 a.m. GMT; Duration: ~5 min; Max Altitude: 70°
Rome — Dec. 25: 7:19–7:22 a.m. CET; Duration: ~3 min; Max Altitude: 35°

Tips For Spotting The ISS

Step outside a few minutes before the listed start time with an unobstructed view of the sky.
Look for a bright, steadily moving point of light — it will not flash like aircraft lights or leave a contrail.
No binoculars or telescope are required; the ISS is visible to the naked eye when conditions are right.
Visibility requires clear skies and the correct geometry for sunlight to reflect off the station; if it’s cloudy or twilight is too bright, you may not see it.

Why The ISS Is So Bright

The ISS orbits Earth roughly every 90 minutes. When it passes over a location shortly before sunrise (or shortly after sunset), the station is still illuminated by sunlight while the ground below is in twilight or darkness — making it appear as one of the brightest objects in the sky.

If you want to confirm a sighting or check future passes from your exact location, use NASA’s Spot the Station service for precise times and visibility predictions.