For anyone looking for a little Christmas magic in the coming days, NASA might have provided the answer. The space agency has revealed the times when 'Santa', also known as the International Space Station, will be passing overhead this Christmas Eve. While it might not be the real thing, the bright light of the ISS making its transit is a great alternative for any children desperate to see where their presents come from.
![[As the third-brightest object in the sky, the bright, consistent light of the ISS (pictured) is easy to spot against the dark background of the sky]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/23/15/93429461-14221553-As_the_third_brightest_object_in_the_sky_the_bright_consistent_l-a-24_1734968560087.jpg)
According to NASA's ISS tracker, the ISS will pass overhead twice on Christmas Eve at 05:20 and 6:53 GMT. While that might mean an early start for some parents, it is great news for skygazers since these pre-dawn hours are the best time to spot the ISS.
![[The shiny body of the ISS reflects the pre-dawn light from the sun and is clearly visible against the dark sky. The best time to spot it will be at 06:53 GMT or at 06:06 GMT on Christmas Day]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/23/15/93430289-14221553-image-a-15_1734967562517.jpg)
And for any parents being woken up early on Christmas day, there will be an even better chance to spot Santa on his return journey as the ISS passes almost directly overhead. And to make things even better, you won't even need any special equipment to spot this festive treat.
![[To find the ISS, check NASA's 'Spot the Station' website to see when it will appear above your location. You can use the 'Appears' location to find where to look as the station comes into view]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/23/15/93429463-14221553-To_find_the_ISS_check_NASA_s_Spot_the_Station_website_to_see_whe-a-22_1734968546535.jpg)
NASA says: 'It is the third brightest object in the sky and easy to spot if you know when to look up.'. For anyone looking for a bit of Christmas magic this year, the bright light of the ISS will make a great stand-in for Santa's sleigh as it passes overhead this Chrismas Eve.
![[Unfortunately, the weather will not be great for seeing the ISS with lots of cloud (right) and some rain (left) during the time the ISS will be most visible]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/23/15/93429467-14221553-With_some_rain_forecast_over_parts_of_the_UK_tomorrow_morning_th-a-37_1734969049917.jpg)
As the third-brightest object in the sky, the bright, consistent light of the ISS (pictured) is easy to spot against the dark background of the sky. Although the ISS is tiny compared to the moon and stars it will still be one of the brightest objects in the sky.
![[The International Space Station has been continuously occupied for more than 20 years and has been expended with multiple new modules added and upgrades to systems]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/08/30/10/47164061-5354217-The_International_Space_Station_has_been_continously_occupied_fo-a-2_1630315679479.jpg)
Dr Edward Bloomer, an astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, told MailOnline: 'Put simply, it's quite shiny and it isn't very far away. The ISS is in orbit only about 400 kilometres up, and more than 100 metres across. It's a pretty big chunk of metal, and there isn't too much traffic up there!'.
