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ISS to Light Up Christmas Eve and Morning Skies Over North America and Europe

Predawn flybys will be bright by reflected sunlight, with city‑level viewing times derived from AstroViewer forecasts.

Overview

  • The International Space Station is forecast to make naked‑eye passes on December 24–25, appearing as a fast, bright track for a few minutes in many locations.
  • In the UK, trackers list a Christmas Day viewing window around 6:17–6:22 am.
  • City specifics from AstroViewer include New York (Dec 24 6:43–6:48; Dec 25 5:56–5:59), Chicago (shorter Dec 24 passes and about six minutes on Dec 25), Toronto (Christmas morning up to 56 degrees), London (Christmas morning up to 70 degrees), and Rome (a brief pass on Dec 25).
  • Viewers can spot the station without binoculars or a telescope, though clear skies and an unobstructed horizon are important.
  • The station circles Earth roughly every 90 minutes, and the published windows apply mainly to North America and Europe rather than India or other South Asian regions.