How to use the sky chart
Choose a city, or press Use my location for the sky exactly above you; your position stays on this device. The chart shows the sky now and updates every minute. To see a different moment, change the date or time, or press −1 hour and +1 hour to step through the evening. Now returns to the live sky.
The colour of the sky follows the Sun: blue in daylight, deep blue in twilight and black when it is fully dark. Stars brighter than magnitude 1.3 are labelled, and the outlines of Orion, the Big Dipper, Cassiopeia, the Southern Cross and the Summer Triangle help you find your way.
Tonight’s highlights
The highlights list the Moon and every planet that rises at least 10° above the horizon between the end of evening twilight and the start of morning twilight, with the time it is highest and the direction to face. The table beside it gives the rise and set times of the Sun, Moon and planets for the day, where each one is at the chosen moment and its brightness (magnitude).
Tips for stargazing
- Give your eyes 20 minutes away from bright screens and lights to adapt to the dark; a red light preserves night vision.
- The Moon washes out faint stars. The darkest skies come in the week around new moon: check the Moon phases and moonrise and moonset times.
- Venus and Mercury are always near the Sun, so look for them in the west after sunset or in the east before sunrise.
- Planets shine with a steady light, while stars twinkle, especially low on the horizon.
Waiting for something rarer? See the upcoming solar and lunar eclipses and whether you can see them.