WhatsAbove / Cities / Michigan / Sterling Heights
Live planes and satellites over Sterling Heights, MI
The scope below is live: every trackable aircraft and satellite above Sterling Heights right now, centered on 42.5803, -83.0302. Click anything for callsign, route, altitude, and more.
Tonight
Visible passes for the next 12 hours — sun-lit satellite, dark sky at your point.
Nearest major airports
With Selfridge Air National Guard Base Airport (MTC) only 10 miles to the east, Sterling Heights sits directly under active approach and departure paths — expect frequent low-altitude traffic between roughly 2,000 and 8,000 ft, with the direction of flow flipping when the wind changes.
About the sky over Sterling Heights
Sterling Heights (Michigan) has a population of about 132,052 and sits at 42.5803°N, 83.0302°W. Aircraft on this page come from the crowdsourced ADS-B network (coverage over this area depends on volunteer receivers nearby); satellites are computed in your browser from published orbital elements — several hundred are above the local horizon at any moment.
What planes fly over Sterling Heights?
Most identifiable traffic over Sterling Heights is tied to Selfridge Air National Guard Base Airport (MTC), 10 miles to the east, plus DET (12 mi) and PTK (21 mi). Add high-altitude cruise traffic passing over on airway routes. The live scope on this page shows each one with callsign, route, and altitude.
How many satellites are above Sterling Heights right now?
Several hundred cataloged objects are above Sterling Heights's horizon at any moment — mostly Starlink, plus stations, science payloads, and decades-old relics. Open the SPACE tab on this page for the live, computed count at 42.5803, -83.0302.
Can I see the ISS from Sterling Heights?
Yes. The ISS passes over Michigan several times most weeks; visible passes happen when the station is sunlit while the sky over Sterling Heights is dark — typically 1–3 hours after sunset or before sunrise. The Tonight panel on this page computes exact times, directions, and durations.