WhatsAbove / Cities / California / Chico
Live planes and satellites over Chico, CA
The scope below is live: every trackable aircraft and satellite above Chico right now, centered on 39.7285, -121.8375. 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
The nearest major airport, Red Bluff Municipal Airport (RBL), is 37 miles away to the northwest, so the sky over Chico is dominated by high-altitude cruise traffic at 28,000 ft and above — visible as contrails by day and steady moving lights at night, plus regional and general-aviation activity closer in.
About the sky over Chico
Chico (California) has a population of about 121,345 and sits at 39.7285°N, 121.8375°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 Chico?
Most identifiable traffic over Chico is tied to Red Bluff Municipal Airport (RBL), 37 miles to the northwest, plus MYV (46 mi) and BAB (46 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 Chico right now?
Several hundred cataloged objects are above Chico'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 39.7285, -121.8375.
Can I see the ISS from Chico?
Yes. The ISS passes over California several times most weeks; visible passes happen when the station is sunlit while the sky over Chico is dark — typically 1–3 hours after sunset or before sunrise. The Tonight panel on this page computes exact times, directions, and durations.