Galactic core · next 30 nights

Milky Way windows at Alqueva Dark Sky Reserve

This tracks the Sagittarius galactic core only when the Sun is at least 18° below the horizon and the core is at least 10° high. It is geometry, not a weather promise.

Best night10 Oct0.7 h of core visibility in darkness

Highest core altitude13°near 20:40

Usable nights12 / 30Moonlight and cloud still decide image contrast.

Computed local geometry

Core hours after astronomical twilight

10 Oct0.7 h0% moon

11 Oct0.7 h2% moon

12 Oct0.3 h6% moon

13 Oct0.3 h12% moon

14 Oct0.3 h18% moon

15 Oct0.3 h26% moon

16 Oct0.7 h35% moon

17 Oct0.3 h44% moon

18 Oct0.3 h53% moon

19 Oct0.3 h63% moon

20 Oct0.3 h72% moon

21 Oct0.3 h80% moon

22 Octnone88% moon

23 Octnone94% moon

24 Octnone98% moon

25 Octnone100% moon

26 Octnone99% moon

27 Octnone96% moon

28 Octnone90% moon

29 Octnone82% moon

30 Octnone72% moon

31 Octnone61% moon

1 Novnone49% moon

2 Novnone38% moon

3 Novnone27% moon

4 Novnone18% moon

5 Novnone10% moon

6 Novnone5% moon

7 Novnone2% moon

8 Novnone0% moon

20:40–21:20

This is the widest geometric window in the next month. Check the live forecast before travelling, then favor the darkest moonless portion. Check live cloud and transparency →

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Same coordinates, different question

Moon

Moonless nights

Find the longest uninterrupted dark windows.

Core

Milky Way

See when the galactic core clears the horizon after dark.

−18°

Astronomical darkness

Track true darkness, including polar twilight.