<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horizontal_coordinate_system" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Altitude</a> is measured in degrees above the horizon, from 0&deg; on the horizon to 90&deg; directly overhead.
Your fist appears about 10&deg; wide at arm's length away from your eye.</p>

<p>Azimuth is measured along the horizon, usually with north 0&deg;, east 90&deg;, south 180&deg; west 270&deg;, and other directions (e.g. NNE, ENE) interpolated as in the compass image.</p>

<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apparent_magnitude" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Magnitude</a> is a logarithmic scale in which the brightest stars are 0 or 1, and the faintest stars visible to the unaided eye are 4 or 5 (maybe 2 or 3 in a city, or 6 in a remote area).</p>

<p>Each row of Heavens-Above's table links to a sky chart showing their predicted path for that satellite pass.
The brightness listed in the main table is a maximum; the table under the sky chart shows a brightness for other points on the path.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-16T16:56:28.707Z
2020-04-16T16:56:28.707Z
Mike G
<p>I'm using the <a href="https://heavens-above.com/AllSats.aspx" rel="nofollow noreferrer">heavens-above website</a> to identify a satellite I've seen several nights this week.</p>

<p>The question is related to how I can search the satellites table with the information I can provide.</p>

<p>The page has a table that has the satellite name, <code>Brightness (mag)</code>, and <em>Time</em>, <em>Altitude</em>, and <em>Azimuth</em> for <code>Start</code> , <code>Highest point</code> and <code>End</code>. I don't know how brightness and altitude are measured, and I don't know how the start, highest, and end points are measured. In terms of <em>azimuth</em>, if I base it on <a href="https://i.sstatic.net/ktB7I.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this compass</a>, and based on the time I saw it, I would have to say <strong>NNE</strong>.</p>

<p>With that said, last night I was sitting looking straight north. I first saw the satellite, literally moving directly over my head, at 7:33pm EST and stopped seeing it at a 7:36PM EST because it was too far. The satellite was going <em>North</em> and just a bit to the <em>East</em>.</p>

<p>My question: how can I use this information to search for the satellite in the table? Also, how do I know what's the <em>Brightness (mag)</em>? The satellite is so tiny that it's almost impossible to see with the naked eye.</p>

<observational-astronomy><amateur-observing><natural-satellites><satellite><night-sky>
Brightness, altitude & azimuth for satellites?
rbhat
# Brightness, altitude & azimuth for satellites?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-04-16)

I'm using the [heavens-above website](https://heavens-above.com/AllSats.aspx) to identify a satellite I've seen several nights this week.

The question is related to how I can search the satellites table with the information I can provide.

The page has a table that has the satellite name, `Brightness (mag)`, and *Time*, *Altitude*, and *Azimuth* for `Start` , `Highest point` and `End`. I don't know how brightness and altitude are measured, and I don't know how the start, highest, and end points are measured. In terms of *azimuth*, if I base it on [this compass](https://i.sstatic.net/ktB7I.png), and based on the time I saw it, I would have to say **NNE**.

With that said, last night I was sitting looking straight north. I first saw the satellite, literally moving directly over my head, at 7:33pm EST and stopped seeing it at a 7:36PM EST because it was too far. The satellite was going *North* and just a bit to the *East*.

My question: how can I use this information to search for the satellite in the table? Also, how do I know what's the *Brightness (mag)*? The satellite is so tiny that it's almost impossible to see with the naked eye.

**Tags:** observational-astronomy, amateur-observing, natural-satellites, satellite, night-sky


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-04-16. Score: 1

[Altitude](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horizontal_coordinate_system) is measured in degrees above the horizon, from 0° on the horizon to 90° directly overhead.
Your fist appears about 10° wide at arm's length away from your eye.

Azimuth is measured along the horizon, usually with north 0°, east 90°, south 180° west 270°, and other directions (e.g. NNE, ENE) interpolated as in the compass image.

[Magnitude](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apparent_magnitude) is a logarithmic scale in which the brightest stars are 0 or 1, and the faintest stars visible to the unaided eye are 4 or 5 (maybe 2 or 3 in a city, or 6 in a remote area).

Each row of Heavens-Above's table links to a sky chart showing their predicted path for that satellite pass.
The brightness listed in the main table is a maximum; the table under the sky chart shows a brightness for other points on the path.


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