Galactic core · next 30 nights

Milky Way windows at Kitt Peak National Observatory

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 night18 Sept2.0 h of core visibility in darkness

Highest core altitude25°near 20:00

Usable nights30 / 30Moonlight and cloud still decide image contrast.

Computed local geometry

Core hours after astronomical twilight

18 Sept2.0 h54% moon

19 Sept2.0 h64% moon

20 Sept2.0 h72% moon

21 Sept2.0 h81% moon

22 Sept2.0 h88% moon

23 Sept1.7 h93% moon

24 Sept1.7 h98% moon

25 Sept1.7 h100% moon

26 Sept2.0 h100% moon

27 Sept2.0 h97% moon

28 Sept1.7 h92% moon

29 Sept1.7 h85% moon

30 Sept1.7 h76% moon

1 Oct1.7 h65% moon

2 Oct1.7 h54% moon

3 Oct1.3 h42% moon

4 Oct1.3 h30% moon

5 Oct1.3 h20% moon

6 Oct1.3 h12% moon

7 Oct1.3 h6% moon

8 Oct1.0 h2% moon

9 Oct1.0 h0% moon

10 Oct1.0 h1% moon

11 Oct1.0 h3% moon

12 Oct1.3 h8% moon

13 Oct1.3 h14% moon

14 Oct1.0 h21% moon

15 Oct1.0 h29% moon

16 Oct1.0 h38% moon

17 Oct1.0 h47% moon

20:00–22:00

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.