WhatsAbove / Cities / California / San Rafael
Live planes and satellites over San Rafael, CA
The scope below is live: every trackable aircraft and satellite above San Rafael right now, centered on 37.9735, -122.5311. 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
San Rafael lies about 24 miles northwest of Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK), which puts it under arrival sequencing and climb-out corridors — most identifiable traffic crosses between 4,000 and 15,000 ft, descending toward or climbing away from the field.
About the sky over San Rafael
San Rafael (California) has a population of about 59,162 and sits at 37.9735°N, 122.5311°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 San Rafael?
Most identifiable traffic over San Rafael is tied to Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK), 24 miles to the southeast, plus CCR (26 mi) and SFO (26 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 San Rafael right now?
Several hundred cataloged objects are above San Rafael'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 37.9735, -122.5311.
Can I see the ISS from San Rafael?
Yes. The ISS passes over California several times most weeks; visible passes happen when the station is sunlit while the sky over San Rafael is dark — typically 1–3 hours after sunset or before sunrise. The Tonight panel on this page computes exact times, directions, and durations.