Satellite Passes Tonight — Phoenix, AZ

Live satellite pass predictions for Phoenix, Arizona. Updated in real time.

Tonight's Visible Passes

THOR AGENA D R/B 6:56 PM
Max elevation 32°
Direction S → NNW
Duration 14 min
CSS (TIANHE) 7:08 PM
Max elevation 10°
Direction W → SSE
Duration 8 min
THOR AGENA D R/B 5:32 AM
Max elevation 11°
Direction NE → SE
Duration 11 min
HST 5:58 AM
Max elevation 20°
Direction W → SE
Duration 11 min
ISS (ZARYA) 6:25 AM
Max elevation
Direction NNW → ENE
Duration 8 min

Predictions computed at 4:49 PM. Times shown in local time.

Full Pass Predictions

Interactive predictions with weather, viewing conditions, and more satellites.

Tonight

🛰️ Satellite Passes

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Satellite Watching in Phoenix

Best Viewing Season

Year-round, best in spring and fall

Weather Conditions

The driest region in the US with exceptional clarity. Summer monsoon season (July–September) brings afternoon thunderstorms in Arizona and New Mexico but evenings often clear. Winter is excellent.

Light Pollution

Phoenix has a Bortle class of 9 (urban skies — only the brightest satellites visible). The Southwest region averages about 175 clear nights per year.

Launch Visibility

Not visible from the Southwest, though rare high-altitude rocket stages have been spotted from West Texas.

Southern Arizona and New Mexico can occasionally spot the exhaust plume of powerful Vandenberg launches during twilight conditions.

Viewing Tips for Phoenix

The Southwest is a satellite watcher's paradise. Low humidity, minimal clouds, and vast dark sky areas. Big Bend (TX), Chaco Canyon (NM), and the Sonoran Desert (AZ) offer Bortle 1-2 skies.

Best Time to Watch

Check for passes during the first 2 hours after sunset or before sunrise. This is when satellites catch sunlight against a dark sky.

What to Look For

Satellites look like steady, bright stars moving smoothly across the sky. They don't blink like airplanes.

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