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 08:40 PM–05:15 AM · Moon 99% (sets 05:10 AM)

9 PM

ClustersComa Star Cluster¹
In const. Coma Berenices
mag 1.8 · Cr256
Rises 07:09 AM (NE)
Sets 10:26 PM (NW)
Best 08:40 PM at 17° (WNW)
ClustersM7²difficult
In const. Scorpius
mag 3.3
Rises 04:51 PM (SE)
Sets 12:05 AM (SW)
Best 08:40 PM at 14° (S)
Double starsRas Algethi³
In const. Hercules
mag 3.4
Rises 12:56 PM (ENE)
Sets 02:42 AM (WNW)
Best 08:40 PM at 61° (SSW)
Carbon starsY Canum Venaticorum⁴
In const. Canes Venatici
mag 4.9
Rises 05:09 AM (NNE)
Sets 01:31 AM (NNW)
Best 08:40 PM at 34° (WNW)
ClustersM22⁵
In const. Sagittarius
mag 5.2
Rises 04:38 PM (ESE)
Sets 01:44 AM (WSW)
Best 09:11 PM at 25° (S)
Variable starsR Scuti⁶
In const. Scutum
mag 5.2
Rises 03:39 PM (E)
Sets 03:04 AM (W)
Best 09:22 PM at 44° (S)
ClustersM4⁷
In const. Scorpius
mag 5.4
Rises 02:37 PM (SE)
Sets 11:20 PM (SW)
Best 08:40 PM at 19° (SSW)
ClustersM5⁸
In const. Serpens
mag 5.7
Rises 11:44 AM (E)
Sets 12:03 AM (W)
Best 08:40 PM at 36° (SW)
ClustersWild Duck Cluster⁹
In const. Scutum
mag 5.8 · M11
Rises 03:45 PM (E)
Sets 03:06 AM (W)
Best 09:25 PM at 43° (S)
ClustersM13¹⁰
In const. Hercules
mag 5.8
Rises 10:35 AM (NE)
Sets 03:58 AM (NW)
Best 08:40 PM at 73° (W)
NebulaeLagoon Nebula¹¹
In const. Sagittarius
mag 6.0 · M8
Rises 04:07 PM (ESE)
Sets 01:09 AM (WSW)
Best 08:40 PM at 25° (S)
NebulaeM17¹²
In const. Sagittarius
mag 6.0
Rises 03:51 PM (ESE)
Sets 02:00 AM (WSW)
Best 08:55 PM at 33° (S)
NebulaeEagle Nebula¹³
In const. Serpens
mag 6.0 · M16
Rises 03:40 PM (ESE)
Sets 02:07 AM (WSW)
Best 08:53 PM at 35° (S)
NebulaeTrifid Nebula¹⁴
In const. Sagittarius
mag 6.3 · M20
Rises 04:00 PM (ESE)
Sets 01:14 AM (WSW)
Best 08:40 PM at 26° (S)
Carbon starsT Lyrae¹⁵
In const. Lyra
mag 7.8
Rises 12:21 PM (NE)
Sets 05:52 AM (NW)
Best 09:07 PM at 86° (S)
NebulaeOwl Nebula¹⁶
In const. Ursa Major
mag 9.9 · M97
Up all night
Best 08:40 PM at 26° (NW)
Symbiotic starsT Coronae Borealis¹⁷
In const. Corona Borealis
mag 10.2
Rises 10:53 AM (NE)
Sets 02:16 AM (NW)
Best 08:40 PM at 60° (WSW)
AsterismsDiamond of Virgo¹⁸
In const. Multiple
Rises 08:44 AM (ENE)
Sets 10:40 PM (WNW)
Best 08:40 PM at 22° (W)
NebulaeBarnard 72¹⁹
In const. Ophiuchus
B72
Rises 03:24 PM (ESE)
Sets 12:32 AM (WSW)
Best 08:40 PM at 25° (S)

10 PM

Double starsAlbireo²⁰
In const. Cygnus
mag 3.1
Rises 02:14 PM (NE)
Sets 05:56 AM (NW)
Best 10:05 PM at 77° (S)
Variable starsEta Aquilae²¹
In const. Aquila
mag 3.8
Rises 04:21 PM (E)
Sets 04:32 AM (W)
Best 10:27 PM at 50° (S)
Carbon starsV Aquilae²²
In const. Aquila
mag 6.9
Rises 03:56 PM (E)
Sets 03:21 AM (W)
Best 09:39 PM at 44° (S)
AsterismsSagittarius Teapot²³difficult
In const. Sagittarius
Rises 05:23 PM (SE)
Sets 01:37 AM (SW)
Best 09:30 PM at 20° (S)
AsterismsCoathanger²⁴
In const. Vulpecula
Cr399
Rises 02:44 PM (ENE)
Sets 05:16 AM (WNW)
Best 10:00 PM at 69° (S)

11 PM

NebulaeM27²⁵
In const. Vulpecula
mag 7.4
Rises 03:07 PM (ENE)
Sets 06:00 AM (WNW)
Best 10:34 PM at 72° (S)
Carbon starsRT Capricorni²⁶difficult
In const. Capricornus
mag 8.9
Rises 06:07 PM (ESE)
Sets 03:35 AM (WSW)
Best 10:51 PM at 28° (S)

1 AM

NebulaeHelix Nebula²⁷
In const. Aquarius
mag 7.3 · C63
Rises 08:17 PM (ESE)
Sets 05:49 AM (WSW)
Best 01:03 AM at 28° (S)

3 AM

PlanetsSaturn
mag 0.4
Rises 09:16 PM (E)
Sets 09:41 AM (W)
Best 03:29 AM at 52° (S)
PlanetsNeptune
mag 7.8
Rises 08:47 PM (E)
Sets 08:52 AM (W)
Best 02:50 AM at 49° (S)

5 AM

Variable starsBetelgeuse²⁸
In const. Orion
mag 0.4
Rises 02:00 AM (E)
Sets 02:55 PM (W)
Best 05:15 AM at 36° (ESE)
ClustersHyades²⁹
In const. Taurus
mag 0.5 · C41
Rises 12:01 AM (ENE)
Sets 02:05 PM (WNW)
Best 05:15 AM at 57° (SE)
ClustersAlpha Persei Cluster³⁰
In const. Perseus
mag 1.2
Up all night
Best 05:15 AM at 79° (NE)
PlanetsMars
mag 1.3
Rises 01:47 AM (ENE)
Sets 04:48 PM (WNW)
Best 05:15 AM at 37° (E)
ClustersPleiades³¹
In const. Taurus
mag 1.6 · M45
Rises 10:46 PM (ENE)
Sets 01:53 PM (WNW)
Best 05:15 AM at 69° (SE)
Variable starsAlgol³²
In const. Perseus
mag 2.1
Rises 08:23 PM (NNE)
Sets 02:59 PM (NNW)
Best 05:15 AM at 85° (E)
Variable starsGamma Cassiopeiae³³
In const. Cassiopeia
mag 2.4
Up all night
Best 03:30 AM at 70° (N)
ClustersM44³⁴
In const. Cancer
mag 3.1
Rises 03:58 AM (ENE)
Sets 06:26 PM (WNW)
Best 05:15 AM at 13° (ENE)
GalaxiesAndromeda Galaxy³⁵
In const. Andromeda
mag 3.4 · M31
Rises 05:55 PM (NNE)
Sets 12:37 PM (NNW)
Best 03:16 AM at 89° (N)
Variable starsDelta Cephei³⁶
In const. Cepheus
mag 3.8
Up all night
Best 01:03 AM at 72° (N)
NebulaeOrion Nebula³⁷
In const. Orion
mag 4.0 · M42
Rises 02:24 AM (E)
Sets 01:51 PM (W)
Best 05:15 AM at 29° (SE)
Variable starsMu Cephei³⁸
In const. Cepheus
mag 4.1
Up all night
Best 12:17 AM at 72° (N)
Variable starsChi Cygni³⁹
In const. Cygnus
mag 4.2
Rises 02:06 PM (NE)
Sets 06:43 AM (NW)
Best 10:25 PM at 82° (S)
ClustersStock 2⁴⁰
In const. Cassiopeia
mag 4.4 · St2
Up all night
Best 04:49 AM at 71° (N)
NebulaeNGC 7000⁴¹
In const. Cygnus
mag 5.0 · C20
Rises 01:38 PM (NNE)
Sets 09:28 AM (NNW)
Best 11:33 PM at 86° (N)
Carbon starsTX Piscium⁴²
In const. Pisces
mag 5.0
Rises 08:06 PM (E)
Sets 08:34 AM (W)
Best 02:20 AM at 53° (S)
ClustersM35⁴³
In const. Gemini
mag 5.1
Rises 01:08 AM (ENE)
Sets 04:16 PM (WNW)
Best 05:15 AM at 44° (E)
Carbon starsUU Aurigae⁴⁴
In const. Auriga
mag 5.3
Rises 12:13 AM (NE)
Sets 06:05 PM (NW)
Best 05:15 AM at 46° (ENE)
PlanetsUranus
mag 5.7
Rises 11:28 PM (ENE)
Sets 02:07 PM (WNW)
Best 05:15 AM at 62° (SE)
GalaxiesTriangulum Galaxy⁴⁵
In const. Triangulum
mag 5.7 · M33
Rises 08:02 PM (NE)
Sets 12:12 PM (NW)
Best 04:07 AM at 80° (S)
ClustersNGC 1960⁴⁶
In const. Auriga
mag 6.0 · M36
Rises 11:43 PM (NE)
Sets 04:35 PM (NW)
Best 05:15 AM at 55° (E)
ClustersNGC 884⁴⁷
In const. Perseus
mag 6.1 · C14
Up all night
Best 04:55 AM at 74° (N)
Carbon starsRY Draconis⁴⁸
In const. Draco
mag 6.3
Up all night
Best 08:40 PM at 42° (NNW)
ClustersNGC 457⁴⁹
In const. Cassiopeia
mag 6.4 · C13
Up all night
Best 03:53 AM at 72° (N)
Carbon starsRS Cygni⁵⁰
In const. Cygnus
mag 6.5
Rises 01:49 PM (NNE)
Sets 07:46 AM (NNW)
Best 10:47 PM at 88° (S)
Variable starsMira⁵¹
In const. Cetus
mag 6.5
Rises 11:01 PM (E)
Sets 10:44 AM (W)
Best 04:52 AM at 46° (S)
GalaxiesM81⁵²
In const. Ursa Major
mag 6.9
Up all night
Best 08:40 PM at 28° (NNW)
NebulaeNGC 6960⁵³
In const. Cygnus
mag 7.0 · C34
Rises 03:14 PM (NE)
Sets 07:25 AM (NW)
Best 11:20 PM at 80° (S)
Carbon starsWZ Cassiopeiae⁵⁴
In const. Cassiopeia
mag 7.1
Up all night
Best 02:35 AM at 70° (N)
NebulaeIC 5146⁵⁵
In const. Cygnus
mag 7.2 · C19
Rises 01:42 PM (NNE)
Sets 11:13 AM (NNW)
Best 12:27 AM at 83° (N)
Carbon starsT Camelopardalis⁵⁶
In const. Camelopardalis
mag 7.3
Up all night
Best 05:15 AM at 60° (NNE)
Carbon starsR Andromedae⁵⁷
In const. Andromeda
mag 7.4
Rises 06:00 PM (NE)
Sets 11:55 AM (NW)
Best 02:57 AM at 88° (S)
Carbon starsS Cephei⁵⁸
In const. Cepheus
mag 7.4
Up all night
Best 12:09 AM at 52° (N)
Carbon starsR Fornacis⁵⁹difficult
In const. Fornax
mag 7.5
Rises 12:39 AM (SE)
Sets 09:26 AM (SW)
Best 05:02 AM at 23° (S)
Carbon starsR Leporis⁶⁰
In const. Lepus
mag 7.8
Rises 02:23 AM (ESE)
Sets 12:42 PM (WSW)
Best 05:15 AM at 26° (SE)
GalaxiesNGC 253⁶¹difficult
In const. Sculptor
mag 8.0 · C65
Rises 10:54 PM (ESE)
Sets 07:48 AM (WSW)
Best 03:21 AM at 24° (S)
NebulaeCrab Nebula⁶²
In const. Taurus
mag 8.4 · M1
Rises 12:43 AM (ENE)
Sets 03:31 PM (WNW)
Best 05:15 AM at 49° (ESE)
GalaxiesM82⁶³
In const. Ursa Major
mag 8.4
Up all night
Best 08:40 PM at 28° (NNW)
Symbiotic starsAG Draconis⁶⁴
In const. Draco
mag 9.7
Up all night
Best 08:40 PM at 59° (NNW)
Carbon starsUV Aurigae⁶⁵
In const. Auriga
mag 10.4
Rises 11:38 PM (NE)
Sets 04:10 PM (NW)
Best 05:15 AM at 57° (E)
Carbon starsU Camelopardalis⁶⁶
In const. Camelopardalis
mag 11.0
Up all night
Best 05:15 AM at 66° (NNE)
AsterismsJob's Coffin⁶⁷
In const. Delphinus
Rises 04:19 PM (ENE)
Sets 06:13 AM (WNW)
Best 11:16 PM at 65° (S)
AsterismsNorthern Cross⁶⁸
In const. Cygnus
Rises 01:47 PM (NNE)
Sets 07:54 AM (NNW)
Best 10:50 PM at 89° (S)
AsterismsSummer Triangle⁶⁹
In const. Multiple
Rises 02:05 PM (NE)
Sets 06:27 AM (NW)
Best 10:16 PM at 81° (S)
AsterismsGreat Square of Pegasus⁷⁰
In const. Pegasus
Rises 06:47 PM (ENE)
Sets 09:35 AM (WNW)
Best 02:11 AM at 71° (S)
AsterismsKemble's Cascade⁷¹
In const. Camelopardalis
NGC1502
Up all night
Best 05:15 AM at 65° (NNE)
AsterismsWinter Hexagon⁷²
In const. Multiple
Rises 02:02 AM (ENE)
Sets 03:32 PM (WNW)
Best 05:15 AM at 36° (ESE)
AsterismsOrion's Belt⁷³
In const. Orion
Rises 02:11 AM (E)
Sets 02:07 PM (W)
Best 05:15 AM at 32° (SE)
AsterismsOrion's Sword⁷⁴
In const. Orion
Rises 02:24 AM (E)
Sets 01:51 PM (W)
Best 05:15 AM at 29° (SE)

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