BRIGHTEST SATELLITES

Satellites are visible when the sky is dark and the satellite is able to reflect sunlight back to the observer. These conditions generally occur up to about 45 minutes before sunrise (before the sky becomes too light) and 45 minutes after sunset. These satellites (or objects) are normally brighter than magnitude 4. If your latitude is close to or below the inclination of a given sat, it will be potentially visible at your location.

The table is sortable. Please click on the header for ascending/descending sorting.

Name	NORAD ID	Int'l Code	Launch date	Period [minutes]	Magnitude
ATLAS CENTAUR 2 R/B	694	1963-047A	November 27, 1963	102.3	3.5
THOR AGENA D R/B	733	1964-002A	January 19, 1964	100.5	5
SL-3 R/B	877	1964-053B	August 28, 1964	98.6	5
SL-8 R/B	2802	1967-045B	May 15, 1967	99.7	5.5
SL-8 R/B	3230	1968-040B	May 7, 1968	96.3	6
OAO 2	3597	1968-110A	December 7, 1968	99.6	6.5
ISIS 1	3669	1969-009A	January 30, 1969	127.4	9
SERT 2	4327	1970-009A	February 4, 1970	106	6.5
SL-3 R/B	5118	1971-028B	April 7, 1971	94.3	5
ASTEX 1	5560	1971-089A	October 17, 1971	99.4	5
SL-8 R/B	5730	1971-119B	December 27, 1971	101.4	5
COSMOS 482 DESCENT CRAFT	6073	1972-023E	March 31, 1972	99.2	6.5
OAO 3 (COPERNICUS)	6153	1972-065A	August 21, 1972	98.7	6
ATLAS CENTAUR R/B	6155	1972-065B	August 21, 1972	97.7	5
SL-8 R/B	8459	1975-112B	November 28, 1975	100.2	6
SL-3 R/B	10114	1977-057B	June 29, 1977	94.3	5.5
SEASAT 1	10967	1978-064A	June 27, 1978	99.7	4
SL-14 R/B	11267	1979-011B	February 12, 1979	96.6	5.5
SL-8 R/B	11574	1979-089B	October 11, 1979	99.9	5
SL-14 R/B	11672	1980-005B	January 23, 1980	96.7	5
SL-8 R/B	12139	1981-003B	January 16, 1981	97.2	5
SL-3 R/B	12465	1981-046B	May 19, 1981	94.5	5
METEOR PRIRODA	12585	1981-065A	July 10, 1981	93.7	6
SL-3 R/B	12904	1981-103B	October 13, 1981	95.3	5
SL-3 R/B	13068	1982-013B	February 19, 1982	95.2	5
SL-3 R/B	13154	1982-039B	May 5, 1982	95.8	5.5
SL-3 R/B	13403	1982-079B	August 5, 1982	95.1	5
SL-3 R/B	13819	1983-010B	February 16, 1983	94.4	5.5
SL-3 R/B	14208	1983-075B	July 24, 1983	94.7	5
COSMOS 1500	14372	1983-099A	September 28, 1983	93.7	5.5
COSMOS 1536	14699	1984-013A	February 8, 1984	95.2	5
COSMOS 1544	14819	1984-027A	March 15, 1984	91.8	5.5
SL-14 R/B	14820	1984-027B	March 15, 1984	97	5.5
SL-8 R/B	15483	1985-006B	January 17, 1985	100.2	5.5
SL-12 R/B(2)	15772	1985-042D	May 30, 1985	101.3	5
SL-14 R/B	15945	1985-069B	August 8, 1985	97	5.5
SL-16 R/B	16182	1985-097B	October 22, 1985	101.7	4
SL-14 R/B	16496	1986-006B	January 17, 1986	97	5.5
SL-14 R/B	16792	1986-046B	June 12, 1986	97	5.5
SL-14 R/B	16882	1986-055B	July 28, 1986	97	5.5
COSMOS 1812	17295	1987-003A	January 14, 1987	94.1	5
SL-14 R/B	17567	1987-024B	March 3, 1987	97	5.5
COSMOS 1833	17589	1987-027A	March 18, 1987	101.9	5.5
SL-16 R/B	17590	1987-027B	March 18, 1987	101.6	4
SL-14 R/B	17912	1987-038B	April 27, 1987	97	5.5
COSMOS 1844	17973	1987-041A	May 13, 1987	101.8	5
SL-14 R/B	18153	1987-055B	July 1, 1987	97	5.5
COSMOS 1867	18187	1987-060A	July 10, 1987	100.6	5
SL-14 R/B	18749	1988-001B	January 6, 1988	97	5.5
COSMOS 1933	18958	1988-020A	March 15, 1988	95.4	5.5
SL-3 R/B	19046	1988-032B	April 20, 1988	95.4	5
SL-16 R/B	19120	1988-039B	May 15, 1988	101.5	3.5
COSMOS 1953	19210	1988-050A	June 14, 1988	95.1	4.5
SL-8 R/B	19257	1988-053B	June 21, 1988	100.1	5.5
COSMOS 1975	19573	1988-093A	October 11, 1988	95.2	5
SL-14 R/B	19574	1988-093B	October 11, 1988	97	5
SL-16 R/B	19650	1988-102B	November 23, 1988	101.7	3.5
INTERCOSMOS 24	20261	1989-080A	September 28, 1989	114.5	6
SL-14 R/B	20262	1989-080C	September 28, 1989	115.2	6.5
DELTA 1 R/B	20323	1989-089B	November 18, 1989	99.4	5.5
DELTA 2 R/B(1)	20453	1990-008B	January 24, 1990	95.6	5.5
COSMOS 2058	20465	1990-010A	January 30, 1990	95.8	5
SL-14 R/B	20466	1990-010B	January 30, 1990	97.1	5
SL-14 R/B	20511	1990-018B	February 28, 1990	97.2	5
HST	20580	1990-037B	April 24, 1990	94.9	3
SL-16 R/B	20625	1990-046B	May 22, 1990	101.8	3.5
COSMOS 2084	20663	1990-055A	June 21, 1990	96.1	5.5
SL-6 R/B(2)	20666	1990-055D	June 21, 1990	96.2	5.5
SL-8 R/B	20775	1990-078B	August 28, 1990	98.8	5
SL-8 R/B	21088	1991-006B	January 29, 1991	104.6	5
OKEAN 3	21397	1991-039A	June 4, 1991	96.1	5.5
COSMOS 2151	21422	1991-042A	June 13, 1991	96.3	5
SL-14 R/B	21423	1991-042B	June 13, 1991	97.3	5.5
ERS 1	21574	1991-050A	July 17, 1991	100.1	6
ARIANE 40 R/B	21610	1991-050F	July 17, 1991	99.9	4.5
INTERCOSMOS 25	21819	1991-086A	December 18, 1991	119.2	5.5
SL-14 R/B	21820	1991-086B	December 18, 1991	120.5	5.5
SL-8 R/B	21876	1992-008B	February 17, 1992	104.7	5.5
SL-8 R/B	21938	1992-020B	April 15, 1992	104.7	5
SL-16 R/B	22220	1992-076B	November 17, 1992	101.6	3.5
SL-16 R/B	22285	1992-093B	December 25, 1992	101.7	3.5
COSMOS 2228	22286	1992-094A	December 25, 1992	96.5	5
SL-16 R/B	22566	1993-016B	March 26, 1993	101.8	3.5
COSMOS 2242	22626	1993-024A	April 16, 1993	96.5	5
SL-16 R/B	22803	1993-059B	September 16, 1993	101.6	3.5
ARIANE 40 R/B	22830	1993-061H	September 26, 1993	100.6	5
COSMOS 2278	23087	1994-023A	April 23, 1994	101.8	5
SL-16 R/B	23088	1994-023B	April 23, 1994	101.8	3.5
SL-16 R/B	23343	1994-074B	November 4, 1994	97.4	3.5
SL-16 R/B	23405	1994-077B	November 24, 1994	101.7	3.5
ARIANE 40+ R/B	23561	1995-021B	April 21, 1995	100.1	4.5
SL-16 R/B	23705	1995-058B	October 31, 1995	101.7	3.5
SL-16 R/B	24298	1996-051B	September 4, 1996	101.9	3.5
ORBVIEW 2 (SEASTAR)	24883	1997-037A	August 1, 1997	100.4	6
SL-16 R/B	25400	1998-043G	July 10, 1998	101	3.5
SL-16 R/B	25407	1998-045B	July 28, 1998	101.7	3.5
SPACE STATION	25544	1998-067A	November 20, 1998	92.9	-0.5
SPACE STATION	25544	1998-067A	November 20, 1998	92.9	-0.5
SPACE STATION	25544	1998-067A	November 20, 1998	92.9	-0.5
SPACE STATION	25544	1998-067A	November 20, 1998	92.9	-0.5
SPACE STATION	25544	1998-067A	November 20, 1998	92.9	-0.5
SPACE STATION	25544	1998-067A	November 20, 1998	92.9	-0.5
SPACE STATION	25544	1998-067A	November 20, 1998	92.9	-0.5
CZ-4B R/B	25732	1999-025C	May 10, 1999	101.6	5
OKEAN O	25860	1999-039A	July 17, 1999	97.4	4.5
SL-16 R/B	25861	1999-039B	July 17, 1999	97.3	3.5
TITAN 4B R/B	26474	2000-047B	August 17, 2000	95.9	3.5
ENVISAT	27386	2002-009A	March 1, 2002	100.1	4.5
IDEFIX/ARIANE 42P	27422	2002-021B	May 4, 2002	100.7	4.5
IDEFIX/ARIANE 42P	27422	2002-021B	May 4, 2002	100.7	4.5
IDEFIX/ARIANE 42P	27422	2002-021B	May 4, 2002	100.7	4.5
IDEFIX/ARIANE 42P	27422	2002-021B	May 4, 2002	100.7	4.5
BREEZE-M DEB (TANK)	28116	2003-056E	December 10, 2003	323.7	4.5
TITAN 4B R/B	28647	2005-016B	April 30, 2005	94.9	3.5
USA 186	28888	2005-042A	October 19, 2005	92.9	0
CZ-4 R/B	29507	2006-046C	October 23, 2006	95.6	3.5
SAR LUPE 2	31797	2007-030A	July 2, 2007	94.2	0
H-2A R/B	33500	2009-002J	January 23, 2009	96.4	3.5
ATLAS CENTAUR R/B	38770	2012-048N	September 13, 2012	95.1	3.5
PSLV R/B	39200	2013-034B	July 1, 2013	333.2	5
CZ-4C R/B	39211	2013-037D	July 19, 2013	95	4.5
KOMPSAT 5	39227	2013-042A	August 22, 2013	95.7	5.5
GPM	39574	2014-009C	February 27, 2014	93.2	4.5
PSLV R/B	41470	2016-027B	April 28, 2016	349.5	0
H-2A R/B	41941	2017-005B	January 24, 2017	624.2	0
USA 276	42689	2017-022A	May 1, 2017	91.9	0
IGS O-6	43223	2018-021A	February 27, 2018	94.3	0
H-2A R/B	43224	2018-021B	February 27, 2018	93.2	0
IGS R-6	43495	2018-052A	June 12, 2018	94.4	0
USA 305	45873	2020-046A	July 15, 2020	94.5
USA 306	45874	2020-046B	July 15, 2020	94.8
USA 307	45875	2020-046C	July 15, 2020	94.6
USA 308	45876	2020-046D	July 15, 2020	94.5
USA 338	53883	2022-117A	September 24, 2022	92.3