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 08:55 PM–05:04 AM · Moon 31% (sets 09:55 PM)

9 PM
  • ClustersComa Star Cluster1
    In const. Coma Berenices
    mag 1.8 · Cr256
    Rises 07:44 AM (NE)
    Sets 11:01 PM (NW)
    Best 08:55 PM at 21° (WNW)
  • ClustersM72difficult
    In const. Scorpius
    mag 3.3
    Rises 05:27 PM (SE)
    Sets 12:40 AM (SW)
    Best 09:04 PM at 14° (S)
  • Double starsRas Algethi3
    In const. Hercules
    mag 3.4
    Rises 01:32 PM (ENE)
    Sets 03:18 AM (WNW)
    Best 08:55 PM at 63° (SSW)
  • Carbon starsY Canum Venaticorum4
    In const. Canes Venatici
    mag 4.9
    Rises 05:45 AM (NNE)
    Sets 02:07 AM (NNW)
    Best 08:55 PM at 37° (WNW)
  • ClustersM45
    In const. Scorpius
    mag 5.4
    Rises 03:12 PM (SE)
    Sets 11:55 PM (SW)
    Best 08:55 PM at 20° (SSW)
  • ClustersM56
    In const. Serpens
    mag 5.7
    Rises 12:20 PM (E)
    Sets 12:38 AM (W)
    Best 08:55 PM at 39° (SW)
  • ClustersM137
    In const. Hercules
    mag 5.8
    Rises 11:10 AM (NE)
    Sets 04:33 AM (NW)
    Best 08:55 PM at 77° (WSW)
  • NebulaeLagoon Nebula8
    In const. Sagittarius
    mag 6.0 · M8
    Rises 04:42 PM (ESE)
    Sets 01:44 AM (WSW)
    Best 09:13 PM at 25° (S)
  • NebulaeEagle Nebula9
    In const. Serpens
    mag 6.0 · M16
    Rises 04:15 PM (ESE)
    Sets 02:42 AM (WSW)
    Best 09:29 PM at 35° (S)
  • NebulaeTrifid Nebula10
    In const. Sagittarius
    mag 6.3 · M20
    Rises 04:35 PM (ESE)
    Sets 01:50 AM (WSW)
    Best 09:13 PM at 26° (S)
  • Carbon starsRY Draconis11
    In const. Draco
    mag 6.3
    Up all night
    Best 08:55 PM at 44° (NNW)
  • GalaxiesM8112
    In const. Ursa Major
    mag 6.9
    Up all night
    Best 08:55 PM at 29° (NNW)
  • GalaxiesM8213
    In const. Ursa Major
    mag 8.4
    Up all night
    Best 08:55 PM at 29° (NNW)
  • Symbiotic starsAG Draconis14
    In const. Draco
    mag 9.7
    Up all night
    Best 08:55 PM at 60° (NNW)
  • NebulaeOwl Nebula15
    In const. Ursa Major
    mag 9.9 · M97
    Up all night
    Best 08:55 PM at 29° (NW)
  • Symbiotic starsT Coronae Borealis16
    In const. Corona Borealis
    mag 10.2
    Rises 11:28 AM (NE)
    Sets 02:51 AM (NW)
    Best 08:55 PM at 64° (WSW)
  • AsterismsDiamond of Virgo17
    In const. Multiple
    Rises 09:19 AM (ENE)
    Sets 11:15 PM (WNW)
    Best 08:55 PM at 26° (W)
  • NebulaeBarnard 7218
    In const. Ophiuchus
    B72
    Rises 04:00 PM (ESE)
    Sets 01:08 AM (WSW)
    Best 08:55 PM at 25° (S)
10 PM
  • ClustersM2219
    In const. Sagittarius
    mag 5.2
    Rises 05:13 PM (ESE)
    Sets 02:19 AM (WSW)
    Best 09:46 PM at 25° (S)
  • Variable starsR Scuti20
    In const. Scutum
    mag 5.2
    Rises 04:15 PM (E)
    Sets 03:40 AM (W)
    Best 09:57 PM at 44° (S)
  • ClustersWild Duck Cluster21
    In const. Scutum
    mag 5.8 · M11
    Rises 04:20 PM (E)
    Sets 03:41 AM (W)
    Best 10:01 PM at 43° (S)
  • NebulaeM1722
    In const. Sagittarius
    mag 6.0
    Rises 04:26 PM (ESE)
    Sets 02:35 AM (WSW)
    Best 09:31 PM at 33° (S)
  • Carbon starsV Aquilae23
    In const. Aquila
    mag 6.9
    Rises 04:32 PM (E)
    Sets 03:56 AM (W)
    Best 10:14 PM at 44° (S)
  • Carbon starsT Lyrae24
    In const. Lyra
    mag 7.8
    Rises 12:57 PM (NE)
    Sets 06:27 AM (NW)
    Best 09:42 PM at 86° (S)
  • AsterismsSagittarius Teapot25difficult
    In const. Sagittarius
    Rises 05:58 PM (SE)
    Sets 02:13 AM (SW)
    Best 10:06 PM at 20° (S)
11 PM
  • Double starsAlbireo26
    In const. Cygnus
    mag 3.1
    Rises 02:49 PM (NE)
    Sets 06:32 AM (NW)
    Best 10:40 PM at 77° (S)
  • Variable starsEta Aquilae27
    In const. Aquila
    mag 3.8
    Rises 04:57 PM (E)
    Sets 05:07 AM (W)
    Best 11:02 PM at 50° (S)
  • Variable starsChi Cygni28
    In const. Cygnus
    mag 4.2
    Rises 02:42 PM (NE)
    Sets 07:18 AM (NW)
    Best 11:00 PM at 82° (S)
  • Carbon starsRS Cygni29
    In const. Cygnus
    mag 6.5
    Rises 02:24 PM (NNE)
    Sets 08:21 AM (NNW)
    Best 11:23 PM at 88° (S)
  • NebulaeM2730
    In const. Vulpecula
    mag 7.4
    Rises 03:42 PM (ENE)
    Sets 06:36 AM (WNW)
    Best 11:09 PM at 72° (S)
  • Carbon starsRT Capricorni31difficult
    In const. Capricornus
    mag 8.9
    Rises 06:42 PM (ESE)
    Sets 04:11 AM (WSW)
    Best 11:27 PM at 28° (S)
  • AsterismsCoathanger32
    In const. Vulpecula
    Cr399
    Rises 03:19 PM (ENE)
    Sets 05:51 AM (WNW)
    Best 10:35 PM at 69° (S)
  • AsterismsNorthern Cross33
    In const. Cygnus
    Rises 02:22 PM (NNE)
    Sets 08:29 AM (NNW)
    Best 11:25 PM at 89° (S)
  • AsterismsSummer Triangle34
    In const. Multiple
    Rises 02:40 PM (NE)
    Sets 07:03 AM (NW)
    Best 10:52 PM at 81° (S)
12 AM
  • NebulaeNGC 700035
    In const. Cygnus
    mag 5.0 · C20
    Rises 02:13 PM (NNE)
    Sets 10:03 AM (NNW)
    Best 12:08 AM at 86° (N)
  • NebulaeNGC 696036
    In const. Cygnus
    mag 7.0 · C34
    Rises 03:49 PM (NE)
    Sets 08:01 AM (NW)
    Best 11:55 PM at 80° (S)
  • AsterismsJob's Coffin37
    In const. Delphinus
    Rises 04:54 PM (ENE)
    Sets 06:48 AM (WNW)
    Best 11:51 PM at 65° (S)
1 AM
  • Variable starsMu Cephei38
    In const. Cepheus
    mag 4.1
    Up all night
    Best 12:53 AM at 72° (N)
  • NebulaeIC 514639
    In const. Cygnus
    mag 7.2 · C19
    Rises 02:17 PM (NNE)
    Sets 11:48 AM (NNW)
    Best 01:03 AM at 83° (N)
  • Carbon starsS Cephei40
    In const. Cepheus
    mag 7.4
    Up all night
    Best 12:44 AM at 52° (N)
2 AM
  • Variable starsDelta Cephei41
    In const. Cepheus
    mag 3.8
    Up all night
    Best 01:38 AM at 72° (N)
  • NebulaeHelix Nebula42
    In const. Aquarius
    mag 7.3 · C63
    Rises 08:53 PM (ESE)
    Sets 06:25 AM (WSW)
    Best 01:39 AM at 28° (S)
3 AM
  • Carbon starsTX Piscium43
    In const. Pisces
    mag 5.0
    Rises 08:41 PM (E)
    Sets 09:09 AM (W)
    Best 02:55 AM at 53° (S)
  • Carbon starsWZ Cassiopeiae44
    In const. Cassiopeia
    mag 7.1
    Up all night
    Best 03:10 AM at 70° (N)
  • PlanetsNeptune
    mag 7.8
    Rises 09:23 PM (E)
    Sets 09:29 AM (W)
    Best 03:26 AM at 50° (S)
  • AsterismsGreat Square of Pegasus45
    In const. Pegasus
    Rises 07:22 PM (ENE)
    Sets 10:10 AM (WNW)
    Best 02:46 AM at 71° (S)
4 AM
  • PlanetsSaturn
    mag 0.4
    Rises 09:52 PM (E)
    Sets 10:19 AM (W)
    Best 04:05 AM at 53° (S)
  • Variable starsGamma Cassiopeiae46
    In const. Cassiopeia
    mag 2.4
    Up all night
    Best 04:05 AM at 70° (N)
  • GalaxiesAndromeda Galaxy47
    In const. Andromeda
    mag 3.4 · M31
    Rises 06:31 PM (NNE)
    Sets 01:12 PM (NNW)
    Best 03:51 AM at 89° (N)
  • ClustersNGC 45748
    In const. Cassiopeia
    mag 6.4 · C13
    Up all night
    Best 04:28 AM at 72° (N)
  • Carbon starsR Andromedae49
    In const. Andromeda
    mag 7.4
    Rises 06:36 PM (NE)
    Sets 12:30 PM (NW)
    Best 03:33 AM at 88° (S)
  • GalaxiesNGC 25350difficult
    In const. Sculptor
    mag 8.0 · C65
    Rises 11:29 PM (ESE)
    Sets 08:23 AM (WSW)
    Best 03:56 AM at 24° (S)
5 AM
  • Variable starsBetelgeuse51
    In const. Orion
    mag 0.4
    Rises 02:35 AM (E)
    Sets 03:31 PM (W)
    Best 05:04 AM at 28° (ESE)
  • ClustersHyades52
    In const. Taurus
    mag 0.5 · C41
    Rises 12:36 AM (ENE)
    Sets 02:41 PM (WNW)
    Best 05:04 AM at 49° (ESE)
  • ClustersAlpha Persei Cluster53
    In const. Perseus
    mag 1.2
    Up all night
    Best 05:04 AM at 72° (NE)
  • PlanetsMars
    mag 1.3
    Rises 01:56 AM (ENE)
    Sets 04:58 PM (WNW)
    Best 05:04 AM at 33° (E)
  • ClustersPleiades54
    In const. Taurus
    mag 1.6 · M45
    Rises 11:22 PM (ENE)
    Sets 02:28 PM (WNW)
    Best 05:04 AM at 62° (ESE)
  • Variable starsAlgol55
    In const. Perseus
    mag 2.1
    Rises 08:59 PM (NNE)
    Sets 03:34 PM (NNW)
    Best 05:04 AM at 76° (E)
  • NebulaeOrion Nebula56
    In const. Orion
    mag 4.0 · M42
    Rises 03:00 AM (E)
    Sets 02:27 PM (W)
    Best 05:04 AM at 22° (ESE)
  • ClustersStock 257
    In const. Cassiopeia
    mag 4.4 · St2
    Up all night
    Best 05:04 AM at 71° (N)
  • ClustersM3558
    In const. Gemini
    mag 5.1
    Rises 01:43 AM (ENE)
    Sets 04:51 PM (WNW)
    Best 05:04 AM at 35° (E)
  • Carbon starsUU Aurigae59
    In const. Auriga
    mag 5.3
    Rises 12:48 AM (NE)
    Sets 06:40 PM (NW)
    Best 05:04 AM at 37° (ENE)
  • GalaxiesTriangulum Galaxy60
    In const. Triangulum
    mag 5.7 · M33
    Rises 08:37 PM (NE)
    Sets 12:48 PM (NW)
    Best 04:42 AM at 80° (S)
  • PlanetsUranus
    mag 5.7
    Rises 12:03 AM (ENE)
    Sets 02:42 PM (WNW)
    Best 05:04 AM at 55° (ESE)
  • ClustersNGC 196061
    In const. Auriga
    mag 6.0 · M36
    Rises 12:18 AM (NE)
    Sets 05:10 PM (NW)
    Best 05:04 AM at 46° (E)
  • ClustersNGC 88462
    In const. Perseus
    mag 6.1 · C14
    Up all night
    Best 05:04 AM at 73° (NNE)
  • Variable starsMira63
    In const. Cetus
    mag 6.5
    Rises 11:36 PM (E)
    Sets 11:20 AM (W)
    Best 05:04 AM at 46° (S)
  • Carbon starsT Camelopardalis64
    In const. Camelopardalis
    mag 7.3
    Up all night
    Best 05:04 AM at 56° (NNE)
  • Carbon starsR Fornacis65difficult
    In const. Fornax
    mag 7.5
    Rises 01:14 AM (SE)
    Sets 10:01 AM (SW)
    Best 05:04 AM at 23° (S)
  • Carbon starsR Leporis66
    In const. Lepus
    mag 7.8
    Rises 02:58 AM (ESE)
    Sets 01:17 PM (WSW)
    Best 05:04 AM at 20° (SE)
  • NebulaeCrab Nebula67
    In const. Taurus
    mag 8.4 · M1
    Rises 01:19 AM (ENE)
    Sets 04:06 PM (WNW)
    Best 05:04 AM at 41° (E)
  • Carbon starsUV Aurigae68
    In const. Auriga
    mag 10.4
    Rises 12:14 AM (NE)
    Sets 04:46 PM (NW)
    Best 05:04 AM at 48° (E)
  • Carbon starsU Camelopardalis69
    In const. Camelopardalis
    mag 11.0
    Up all night
    Best 05:04 AM at 63° (NNE)
  • AsterismsKemble's Cascade70
    In const. Camelopardalis
    NGC1502
    Up all night
    Best 05:04 AM at 61° (NNE)
  • AsterismsWinter Hexagon71
    In const. Multiple
    Rises 02:37 AM (ENE)
    Sets 04:08 PM (WNW)
    Best 05:04 AM at 27° (E)
  • AsterismsOrion's Belt72
    In const. Orion
    Rises 02:46 AM (E)
    Sets 02:42 PM (W)
    Best 05:04 AM at 25° (ESE)
  • AsterismsOrion's Sword73
    In const. Orion
    Rises 03:00 AM (E)
    Sets 02:27 PM (W)
    Best 05:04 AM at 22° (ESE)
Browse all targets →Field mode →