Tonight's Sky

What's worth observing tonight and when to catch it, for your gear and location. Download a free printable observing sheet with your sky chart, tonight's targets, and space for notes. Choose a date and equipment to begin.

Showing New York's sky, not yours?

This timeline groups objects by the hour they're highest after dark. It's a suggestion, not a schedule: most objects are visible well before and after their slot, so use the rise and set times on each card to plan around your own session.

What you'll actually see depends on your equipment. Almost anything you can pick out in binoculars looks better in a telescope, and more aperture reaches fainter targets. A few big, wide objects like the Pleiades are the exception and frame better in binoculars. It also depends on your sky: light pollution washes out faint objects, so the same target shows far more from a dark site than from the city.

Object types

Dark 07:20 PM–06:04 AM · Moon 3% (down)

7 PM

Double starsAlbireo¹
In const. Cygnus
mag 3.1
Rises 11:13 AM (NE)
Sets 02:55 AM (NW)
Best 07:20 PM at 77° (SSW)
ClustersM7²difficult
In const. Scorpius
mag 3.3
Rises 01:51 PM (SE)
Sets 09:04 PM (SW)
Best 07:20 PM at 10° (SSW)
Double starsRas Algethi³
In const. Hercules
mag 3.4
Rises 09:55 AM (ENE)
Sets 11:41 PM (WNW)
Best 07:20 PM at 48° (WSW)
Variable starsEta Aquilae⁴
In const. Aquila
mag 3.8
Rises 01:20 PM (E)
Sets 01:31 AM (W)
Best 07:26 PM at 50° (S)
Variable starsChi Cygni⁵
In const. Cygnus
mag 4.2
Rises 11:06 AM (NE)
Sets 03:42 AM (NW)
Best 07:24 PM at 82° (S)
Carbon starsY Canum Venaticorum⁶
In const. Canes Venatici
mag 4.9
Rises 02:09 AM (NNE)
Sets 10:31 PM (NNW)
Best 07:20 PM at 19° (NW)
ClustersM22⁷
In const. Sagittarius
mag 5.2
Rises 01:37 PM (ESE)
Sets 10:43 PM (WSW)
Best 07:20 PM at 23° (SSW)
Variable starsR Scuti⁸
In const. Scutum
mag 5.2
Rises 12:39 PM (E)
Sets 12:03 AM (W)
Best 07:20 PM at 42° (SSW)
ClustersM5⁹
In const. Serpens
mag 5.7
Rises 08:43 AM (E)
Sets 09:02 PM (W)
Best 07:20 PM at 19° (WSW)
ClustersWild Duck Cluster¹⁰
In const. Scutum
mag 5.8 · M11
Rises 12:44 PM (E)
Sets 12:05 AM (W)
Best 07:20 PM at 41° (SSW)
ClustersM13¹¹
In const. Hercules
mag 5.8
Rises 07:34 AM (NE)
Sets 12:57 AM (NW)
Best 07:20 PM at 54° (W)
NebulaeLagoon Nebula¹²
In const. Sagittarius
mag 6.0 · M8
Rises 01:06 PM (ESE)
Sets 10:08 PM (WSW)
Best 07:20 PM at 21° (SSW)
NebulaeM17¹³
In const. Sagittarius
mag 6.0
Rises 12:50 PM (ESE)
Sets 10:59 PM (WSW)
Best 07:20 PM at 30° (SSW)
NebulaeEagle Nebula¹⁴
In const. Serpens
mag 6.0 · M16
Rises 12:39 PM (ESE)
Sets 11:06 PM (WSW)
Best 07:20 PM at 32° (SSW)
NebulaeTrifid Nebula¹⁵
In const. Sagittarius
mag 6.3 · M20
Rises 12:59 PM (ESE)
Sets 10:13 PM (WSW)
Best 07:20 PM at 22° (SSW)
Carbon starsRY Draconis¹⁶
In const. Draco
mag 6.3
Up all night
Best 07:20 PM at 32° (NNW)
Carbon starsV Aquilae¹⁷
In const. Aquila
mag 6.9
Rises 12:55 PM (E)
Sets 12:20 AM (W)
Best 07:20 PM at 43° (SSW)
Carbon starsT Lyrae¹⁸
In const. Lyra
mag 7.8
Rises 09:21 AM (NE)
Sets 02:51 AM (NW)
Best 07:20 PM at 75° (W)
Symbiotic starsAG Draconis¹⁹
In const. Draco
mag 9.7
Up all night
Best 07:20 PM at 50° (NNW)
Symbiotic starsT Coronae Borealis²⁰
In const. Corona Borealis
mag 10.2
Rises 07:52 AM (NE)
Sets 11:15 PM (NW)
Best 07:20 PM at 41° (W)
NebulaeBarnard 72²¹
In const. Ophiuchus
B72
Rises 12:23 PM (ESE)
Sets 09:31 PM (WSW)
Best 07:20 PM at 17° (SW)
AsterismsSagittarius Teapot²²difficult
In const. Sagittarius
Rises 02:22 PM (SE)
Sets 10:37 PM (SW)
Best 07:20 PM at 19° (SSW)
AsterismsCoathanger²³
In const. Vulpecula
Cr399
Rises 11:43 AM (ENE)
Sets 02:15 AM (WNW)
Best 07:20 PM at 69° (SSW)
AsterismsSummer Triangle²⁴
In const. Multiple
Rises 11:04 AM (NE)
Sets 03:26 AM (NW)
Best 07:20 PM at 81° (S)

8 PM

Carbon starsRS Cygni²⁵
In const. Cygnus
mag 6.5
Rises 10:48 AM (NE)
Sets 04:45 AM (NNW)
Best 07:47 PM at 88° (S)
NebulaeNGC 6960²⁶
In const. Cygnus
mag 7.0 · C34
Rises 12:13 PM (NE)
Sets 04:24 AM (NW)
Best 08:19 PM at 80° (S)
NebulaeM27²⁷
In const. Vulpecula
mag 7.4
Rises 12:06 PM (ENE)
Sets 03:00 AM (WNW)
Best 07:33 PM at 72° (S)
Carbon starsRT Capricorni²⁸difficult
In const. Capricornus
mag 8.9
Rises 03:06 PM (ESE)
Sets 12:34 AM (WSW)
Best 07:50 PM at 28° (S)
AsterismsJob's Coffin²⁹
In const. Delphinus
Rises 01:18 PM (ENE)
Sets 03:12 AM (WNW)
Best 08:15 PM at 65° (S)
AsterismsNorthern Cross³⁰
In const. Cygnus
Rises 10:46 AM (NNE)
Sets 04:53 AM (NNW)
Best 07:49 PM at 89° (S)

9 PM

Variable starsMu Cephei³¹
In const. Cepheus
mag 4.1
Up all night
Best 09:16 PM at 72° (N)
NebulaeNGC 7000³²
In const. Cygnus
mag 5.0 · C20
Rises 10:37 AM (NNE)
Sets 06:27 AM (NNW)
Best 08:32 PM at 86° (N)
NebulaeIC 5146³³
In const. Cygnus
mag 7.2 · C19
Rises 10:41 AM (NNE)
Sets 08:12 AM (NNW)
Best 09:26 PM at 83° (N)
Carbon starsS Cephei³⁴
In const. Cepheus
mag 7.4
Up all night
Best 09:08 PM at 52° (N)

10 PM

Variable starsDelta Cephei³⁵
In const. Cepheus
mag 3.8
Up all night
Best 10:02 PM at 72° (N)
NebulaeHelix Nebula³⁶
In const. Aquarius
mag 7.3 · C63
Rises 05:16 PM (ESE)
Sets 02:49 AM (WSW)
Best 10:02 PM at 28° (S)

11 PM

Carbon starsTX Piscium³⁷
In const. Pisces
mag 5.0
Rises 05:05 PM (E)
Sets 05:33 AM (W)
Best 11:19 PM at 53° (S)
AsterismsGreat Square of Pegasus³⁸
In const. Pegasus
Rises 03:46 PM (ENE)
Sets 06:34 AM (WNW)
Best 11:10 PM at 71° (S)

12 AM

PlanetsSaturn
mag 0.2
Rises 06:08 PM (E)
Sets 06:24 AM (W)
Best 12:16 AM at 51° (S)
Variable starsGamma Cassiopeiae³⁹
In const. Cassiopeia
mag 2.4
Up all night
Best 12:29 AM at 70° (N)
GalaxiesAndromeda Galaxy⁴⁰
In const. Andromeda
mag 3.4 · M31
Rises 02:54 PM (NNE)
Sets 09:36 AM (NNW)
Best 12:15 AM at 89° (N)
Carbon starsWZ Cassiopeiae⁴¹
In const. Cassiopeia
mag 7.1
Up all night
Best 11:34 PM at 70° (N)
Carbon starsR Andromedae⁴²
In const. Andromeda
mag 7.4
Rises 02:59 PM (NE)
Sets 08:54 AM (NW)
Best 11:57 PM at 88° (S)
PlanetsNeptune
mag 7.8
Rises 05:43 PM (E)
Sets 05:45 AM (W)
Best 11:44 PM at 49° (S)
GalaxiesNGC 253⁴³difficult
In const. Sculptor
mag 8.0 · C65
Rises 07:53 PM (ESE)
Sets 04:47 AM (WSW)
Best 12:20 AM at 24° (S)

1 AM

GalaxiesTriangulum Galaxy⁴⁴
In const. Triangulum
mag 5.7 · M33
Rises 05:01 PM (NE)
Sets 09:12 AM (NW)
Best 01:06 AM at 80° (S)
ClustersNGC 457⁴⁵
In const. Cassiopeia
mag 6.4 · C13
Up all night
Best 12:52 AM at 72° (N)

2 AM

ClustersStock 2⁴⁶
In const. Cassiopeia
mag 4.4 · St2
Up all night
Best 01:48 AM at 71° (N)
ClustersNGC 884⁴⁷
In const. Perseus
mag 6.1 · C14
Up all night
Best 01:54 AM at 74° (N)
Variable starsMira⁴⁸
In const. Cetus
mag 6.5
Rises 08:00 PM (E)
Sets 07:43 AM (W)
Best 01:52 AM at 46° (S)
Carbon starsR Fornacis⁴⁹difficult
In const. Fornax
mag 7.5
Rises 09:38 PM (SE)
Sets 06:25 AM (SW)
Best 02:01 AM at 23° (S)

3 AM

ClustersAlpha Persei Cluster⁵⁰
In const. Perseus
mag 1.2
Up all night
Best 02:59 AM at 82° (N)
ClustersPleiades⁵¹
In const. Taurus
mag 1.6 · M45
Rises 07:45 PM (ENE)
Sets 10:52 AM (WNW)
Best 03:19 AM at 73° (S)
Variable starsAlgol⁵²
In const. Perseus
mag 2.1
Rises 05:22 PM (NNE)
Sets 11:58 AM (NNW)
Best 02:40 AM at 90° (N)
Carbon starsU Camelopardalis⁵³
In const. Camelopardalis
mag 11.0
Up all night
Best 03:14 AM at 68° (N)

4 AM

ClustersHyades⁵⁴
In const. Taurus
mag 0.5 · C41
Rises 09:00 PM (ENE)
Sets 11:05 AM (WNW)
Best 04:02 AM at 66° (S)
PlanetsUranus
mag 5.6
Rises 08:26 PM (ENE)
Sets 11:05 AM (WNW)
Best 03:45 AM at 70° (S)
Carbon starsT Camelopardalis⁵⁵
In const. Camelopardalis
mag 7.3
Up all night
Best 04:12 AM at 65° (N)
AsterismsKemble's Cascade⁵⁶
In const. Camelopardalis
NGC1502
Up all night
Best 03:40 AM at 68° (N)

5 AM

Variable starsBetelgeuse⁵⁷
In const. Orion
mag 0.4
Rises 10:59 PM (E)
Sets 11:54 AM (W)
Best 05:27 AM at 57° (S)
NebulaeOrion Nebula⁵⁸
In const. Orion
mag 4.0 · M42
Rises 11:24 PM (E)
Sets 10:50 AM (W)
Best 05:07 AM at 44° (S)
ClustersNGC 1960⁵⁹
In const. Auriga
mag 6.0 · M36
Rises 08:42 PM (NE)
Sets 01:34 PM (NW)
Best 05:08 AM at 83° (S)
Carbon starsR Leporis⁶⁰
In const. Lepus
mag 7.8
Rises 11:22 PM (ESE)
Sets 09:41 AM (WSW)
Best 04:31 AM at 34° (S)
NebulaeCrab Nebula⁶¹
In const. Taurus
mag 8.4 · M1
Rises 09:43 PM (ENE)
Sets 12:30 PM (WNW)
Best 05:06 AM at 71° (S)
Carbon starsUV Aurigae⁶²
In const. Auriga
mag 10.4
Rises 08:38 PM (NE)
Sets 01:09 PM (NW)
Best 04:54 AM at 82° (S)
AsterismsOrion's Belt⁶³
In const. Orion
Rises 11:10 PM (E)
Sets 11:06 AM (W)
Best 05:08 AM at 48° (S)
AsterismsOrion's Sword⁶⁴
In const. Orion
Rises 11:24 PM (E)
Sets 10:50 AM (W)
Best 05:07 AM at 44° (S)

6 AM

PlanetsJupiter
mag -1.9
Rises 02:12 AM (ENE)
Sets 04:02 PM (WNW)
Best 06:04 AM at 43° (ESE)
PlanetsMars
mag 1.1
Rises 01:02 AM (ENE)
Sets 03:27 PM (WNW)
Best 06:04 AM at 55° (ESE)
ClustersComa Star Cluster⁶⁵
In const. Coma Berenices
mag 1.8 · Cr256
Rises 04:04 AM (NE)
Sets 07:21 PM (NW)
Best 06:04 AM at 20° (ENE)
ClustersM44⁶⁶
In const. Cancer
mag 3.1
Rises 12:58 AM (ENE)
Sets 03:25 PM (WNW)
Best 06:04 AM at 56° (ESE)
ClustersNGC 2362⁶⁷
In const. Canis Major
mag 3.8 · C64
Rises 02:22 AM (ESE)
Sets 11:19 AM (WSW)
Best 06:04 AM at 23° (SSE)
Carbon starsU Hydrae⁶⁸
In const. Hydra
mag 4.8
Rises 04:53 AM (ESE)
Sets 03:23 PM (WSW)
Best 06:04 AM at 12° (ESE)
ClustersM35⁶⁹
In const. Gemini
mag 5.1
Rises 10:07 PM (ENE)
Sets 01:15 PM (WNW)
Best 05:41 AM at 74° (S)
Carbon starsUU Aurigae⁷⁰
In const. Auriga
mag 5.3
Rises 09:12 PM (NE)
Sets 03:04 PM (NW)
Best 06:04 AM at 88° (SSE)
ClustersM6⁷¹
In const. Scorpius
mag 6.2
Rises 02:43 AM (ESE)
Sets 11:49 AM (WSW)
Best 06:04 AM at 23° (SSE)
GalaxiesM81⁷²
In const. Ursa Major
mag 6.9
Up all night
Best 06:04 AM at 51° (NNE)
GalaxiesM82⁷³
In const. Ursa Major
mag 8.4
Up all night
Best 06:04 AM at 51° (NNE)
NebulaeOwl Nebula⁷⁴
In const. Ursa Major
mag 9.9 · M97
Up all night
Best 06:04 AM at 43° (NE)
AsterismsWinter Hexagon⁷⁵
In const. Multiple
Rises 11:01 PM (ENE)
Sets 12:31 PM (WNW)
Best 05:46 AM at 62° (S)

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