Here’s how you and your children can spot Santa and his sleigh in the sky on Christmas Eve

23 December 2019, 12:44

Try spotting Santa on his sleigh this Christmas Eve
Try spotting Santa on his sleigh this Christmas Eve. Picture: Getty
Alice Dear

By Alice Dear

Thanks to NASA, you and your family will be able to se the big man starting his route around the world on Christmas Eve.

Christmas is almost upon us, with children all across the UK getting excited about Santa’s upcoming visit.

And while Santa must remain an enigma, there is nothing more magical than showing the little ones in your family a little peak into the big man’s busy Christmas route.

READ MORE: Genius mum claims homemade ‘Christmas morning box’ is the key to a stress-free day

While you can of course track Santa, NASA have now made it possible for you to look up into the sky and see Santa and his sleigh flying through the sky.

Using the NASA ISS tracker you'll be able to see a shape moving across the sky
Using the NASA ISS tracker you'll be able to see a shape moving across the sky. Picture: Getty

For three minutes on Christmas Eve in the early hours of the morning – and if you know where to look – you’ll be able to see an object moving through the sky.

Of course, this is really the International Space Station (ISS), but you can keep that to yourself.

The ISS circles the Earth 16 times a day, and is the perfect way to convince your kids Santa is starting his route around the world, dropping presents off as he goes.

If you’re looking to spot the big man himself, NASA explain you should look in a southern-westerly direction and look for what appears to be a ‘fast-moving plane’ in the sky.

If you miss it on Christmas Eve, there will be another chance on Christmas Day for two minutes around 5:18AM
If you miss it on Christmas Eve, there will be another chance on Christmas Day for two minutes around 5:18AM. Picture: Getty

If you miss it on Christmas Eve, there will be another chance on Christmas Day for two minutes around 5:18AM, and then again for another four minutes at 6:52AM.

On their website, NASA write: “Watch the International Space Station pass overhead from several thousand worldwide locations.

“It is the third brightest object in the sky and easy to spot if you know when to look up.

“Visible to the naked eye, it looks like a fast-moving plane only much higher and traveling thousands of miles an hour faster!”

Visit their website for more information.