SkyAlmanac

ISS

ISS passes over Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Upcoming visible passes of the International Space Station over Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. A pass is "visible" when the station is sunlit against a dark sky.

At 49.3° latitude, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada lies under the ISS ground track — on the best passes the station crosses directly overhead.

Upcoming visible passes over Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

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Spotting the Space Station

The ISS looks like a bright, steady star gliding across the sky in a few minutes — no blinking lights. It is only visible when it is still catching sunlight while your sky is dark, so passes cluster in the couple of hours after dusk and before dawn.

Visibility comes in streaks: the orbit precesses, so a city gets a run of evening passes for a week or two, then a quiet spell, then a run of pre-dawn passes. If nothing is listed right now, check back within a few days.

Data: N2YO, Meeus astronomical algorithms. How we calculate this

Frequently asked questions

How high in the sky does the ISS get over Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada?

Because Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (latitude 49.3°) lies within the ISS orbit's ground track, the station can pass anywhere up to the zenith — the brightest passes go almost straight overhead.

How often can you see the ISS from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada?

The station orbits every ~93 minutes, but you only see it when it is sunlit against a dark sky. Visible passes come in runs of several evenings or mornings every few weeks, with 1–3 sightings per night during a run.

What does the ISS look like?

A bright, steady, fast-moving star — often brighter than Venus — crossing the sky in 2–6 minutes. It does not blink; anything flashing is an aircraft.

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