There are a lot of people who on looking up at the December sky, have spotted what they assumed was ‘Santa’s sleigh.’ The reality might have been that they had just spotted another celestial object by NASA flying up in the sky: NASA’s International Space Station or ISS.
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Yes, as reported by Telegraph&Argus, ‘Santa’s sleigh,’ is a nickname given to the ISS because it does appear to look like a ‘sleigh,’ riding fast across the sky. The ISS will be visible to the naked eye this Christmas season and NASA has provided all the information that you might need to see it darting out across the sky.
What to look for?
As per NASA, the space station resembles a fast-gliding airplane or a bright star that moves across the sky. However, it will not appear to be twinkling, have flashing lights and it does not change directions. The ISS also moves way faster than a typical airplane, moving very fast at about 600 miles per hour.
How to spot ‘Santa’s sleigh?’
The ISS can be spotted in the sky at various times between December 17- December 29. NASA has provided a full list of dates and time when the space station would be most clearly visible to the naked eye.
On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, the ISS will be visible during the following times:
- Sat Dec 24: The ISS will be visible at 4:51 AM for 1 min at 13° above ESE
- Sat Dec 24: The ISS will be visible at 6:24 AM for 5 min at 27° above SW
- Sun Dec 25: The ISS will be visible at 5:38 AM for 3 min at 37° above SE
- Sun Dec 25: The ISS will be visible at 7:10 AM for 6 min at 12° above W
For more details on spotting the ISS and more information on all the dates, visit NASA's website here.
Sources used:
Telegraph&Argus: ' NASA reveals when you can see 'Santa's sleigh' this Christmas'
