If the sky is clear this evening, there will be a lot to see: the ISS and “Starlink” satellites will be racing brightly across the sky, and the possibility of polar lights will return.

In recent days, polar lights could be observed in Germany, all the way down to Bayern. Tonight, on Tuesday (September 26) to Wednesday (September 27), there is a chance to see polar lights in Germany once again. According to the website sonnen-sturm.info, another coronal mass ejection from the sun is expected to hit the Earth’s magnetic field today, increasing the chances of polar lights in the evening.

However, it is important to be in the right location to see the polar lights. The chances are higher in the north than in the south. Additionally, polar lights can only be perceived when the sky is clear and dark, and one is facing north. Small towns and open nature areas are, therefore, better observation spots compared to cities.

Not only the polar lights but also the International Space Station (ISS) will be visible tonight, as it races brightly across the sky. In Frankfurt, for example, the ISS will be visible from around 8:03 pm to 8:09 pm, moving from west to east. It appears as a bright star moving very fast. Another sighting in Frankfurt will be possible around 9:40 pm. The exact observation times and visibility of the ISS for other locations can be checked on the internet.

The “Starlink” satellites by SpaceX may also be visible in some regions of the sky tonight. The latest group of “Starlink” satellites was launched just yesterday (September 25), so they are still relatively close to each other. However, they may not be very bright anymore. Those looking at the sky in dark regions might be able to spot them moving across the sky around 9:09 pm. They will be moving from the northwest horizon to approximately the constellation “Ursa Major”.