# NASA API: Get ISS sightings

> Finds upcoming International Space Station sightings for a city in NASA's city list, with local start times, visibility and sky directions. Cities without scheduled passes return an empty list.

Unofficial. Not affiliated with or endorsed by NASA.

- Page: https://fous.com/methods/nasa.gov/get-iss-sightings
- Method: `nasa.gov/get_iss_sightings`, version 1
- Website: nasa.gov
- Returns: matched city, and for each sighting its date, local start time, visible duration, maximum height, and where it appears and disappears
- Effect: read (it gets data and changes nothing)
- Sign-in: none needed
- Cost: 1 credit per completed run (1¢ with pay as you go); failed runs are free
- Verified: Nov 3, 2026

## Inputs

| Field | Type | Required | In the run below | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `city` | string | yes | `"Chicago, Illinois"` | City followed by its state or country, for example Chicago, Illinois or Manchester, United Kingdom. |
| `max_results` | integer | no | `30` | Maximum number of upcoming sightings to return, for example 10. Default 10. |

## Output

From a run on Nov 3, 2026, shortened. Its input:

```json
{
  "city": "Chicago, Illinois",
  "max_results": 30
}
```

Its output:

```json
{
  "sightings": [
    {
      "date": "2026-11-03",
      "appears": "23° above SE",
      "page_link": "https://iss-sts.hqmce.nasa.gov/iss-sts-cities-html/United_States-Illinois-Chicago.html",
      "disappears": "10° above SE",
      "local_start_time": "2026-11-03T04:12:00-06:00",
      "maximum_height_degrees": 23,
      "visible_duration_minutes": 1
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-11-04",
      "appears": "15° above SSW",
      "page_link": "https://iss-sts.hqmce.nasa.gov/iss-sts-cities-html/United_States-Illinois-Chicago.html",
      "disappears": "10° above S",
      "local_start_time": "2026-11-04T05:00:00-06:00",
      "maximum_height_degrees": 15,
      "visible_duration_minutes": 1
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-11-10",
      "appears": "10° above SW",
      "page_link": "https://iss-sts.hqmce.nasa.gov/iss-sts-cities-html/United_States-Illinois-Chicago.html",
      "disappears": "30° above SSW",
      "local_start_time": "2026-11-10T18:30:00-06:00",
      "maximum_height_degrees": 30,
      "visible_duration_minutes": 2
    }
  ],
  "matched_city": "Chicago, Illinois, United States"
}
```

## Run it

From code, with a Fous API key in `FOUS_API_KEY`; the answer's `data` holds the output:

```bash
curl https://api.fous.com/v1/runs \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $FOUS_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"method":"nasa.gov/get_iss_sightings","input":{"city":"Chicago, Illinois","max_results":30}}'
```

From an AI agent connected to the Fous MCP server: its `run` with the same method and input. To connect one, give it `set up https://fous.com/SKILL.md`.

## Ask your agent

- When can I next see the International Space Station from Denver, Colorado? I need start times and how high it gets.
- Show me upcoming ISS passes over Manchester, United Kingdom with visible duration and where it rises and sets.
- Are there any space station sightings in Austin, Texas this week? List up to 5 with sky directions.
- What are the next 15 times the ISS will be visible above Toronto, Ontario, and from which direction does it appear?
- Give me the upcoming station flyovers for Sydney, Australia, including maximum altitude and disappearance point on nasa.gov.

## Input schema

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "city"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "city": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "City followed by its state or country, for example Chicago, Illinois or Manchester, United Kingdom."
    },
    "max_results": {
      "type": "integer",
      "default": 10,
      "maximum": 30,
      "minimum": 1,
      "description": "Maximum number of upcoming sightings to return, for example 10."
    }
  }
}
```

## Output schema

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "matched_city",
    "sightings"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "sightings": {
      "type": "array",
      "items": {
        "type": "object",
        "required": [
          "date",
          "local_start_time",
          "visible_duration_minutes",
          "maximum_height_degrees",
          "appears",
          "disappears",
          "page_link"
        ],
        "properties": {
          "date": {
            "type": "string",
            "format": "date"
          },
          "appears": {
            "type": "string"
          },
          "page_link": {
            "type": "string",
            "format": "uri"
          },
          "disappears": {
            "type": "string"
          },
          "local_start_time": {
            "type": "string",
            "format": "date-time"
          },
          "maximum_height_degrees": {
            "type": "integer"
          },
          "visible_duration_minutes": {
            "type": "integer"
          }
        },
        "additionalProperties": false
      }
    },
    "matched_city": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Matched city and region or country."
    }
  },
  "additionalProperties": false
}
```

## See more

- [NASA API: List natural events](https://fous.com/methods/nasa.gov/list-natural-events.md): List EONET natural events with latest observations in the past number of days, most recent first. A country or region filter matches reported event locations against mapped boundaries; locations and ongoing status are approximate, and not all events have a reported size or strength.
- [NASA API: Get astronomy picture of the day](https://fous.com/methods/nasa.gov/get-astronomy-picture-of-the-day.md): Returns NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day for a date: title, explanation, featured media link, optional high-resolution link, and credit.
- [NASA API: List near-Earth asteroids](https://fous.com/methods/nasa.gov/list-near-earth-asteroids.md): Lists near-Earth asteroids that pass Earth between two UTC dates within a chosen distance, with approach times, size ranges, speed and hazard status.
- [NASA API: Search media](https://fous.com/methods/nasa.gov/search-images.md): Searches NASA public photos, videos or audio by words and creation year, returning matches in relevance order with thumbnails and full-size file links.
- [The Space Devs API: List upcoming launches](https://fous.com/methods/thespacedevs.com/list-upcoming-launches.md): Lists upcoming rocket launches worldwide, with launch windows in UTC and local site time. Results can be filtered by company, country or launch site.
- [The Space Devs API: Get launch by mission or rocket name](https://fous.com/methods/thespacedevs.com/get-launch.md): Finds a launch by mission or rocket name. Picks the next upcoming match, otherwise the most recent past match, and returns its details.
- [Time and Date API: Get time in city](https://fous.com/methods/timeanddate.com/get-time-in-city.md): Gets the current local time, time zone, and next daylight saving change for a city listed on Time and Date. Add a state or country to distinguish cities with the same name.
- [NOAA API: Get aurora forecast](https://fous.com/methods/swpc.noaa.gov/get-aurora-forecast.md): Gets the 30-minute chance of aurora overhead near a place, current geomagnetic activity, and the three-day Kp outlook. Visibility also depends on darkness and local conditions; tonight uses approximate local solar hours 18:00-06:00.
- [All NASA methods](https://fous.com/methods/nasa.gov.md)