Galactic core · next 30 nights

Milky Way windows at Oro Valley

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 Oct1.3 h of core visibility in darkness

Highest core altitude19°near 19:20

Usable nights22 / 30Moonlight and cloud still decide image contrast.

Computed local geometry

Core hours after astronomical twilight

10 Oct1.3 h1% moon

11 Oct1.3 h3% moon

12 Oct1.0 h8% moon

13 Oct1.0 h14% moon

14 Oct1.0 h21% moon

15 Oct1.0 h29% moon

16 Oct1.0 h38% moon

17 Oct0.7 h47% moon

18 Oct0.7 h56% moon

19 Oct0.7 h66% moon

20 Oct0.7 h75% moon

21 Oct0.7 h83% moon

22 Oct0.7 h90% moon

23 Oct0.3 h95% moon

24 Oct0.3 h99% moon

25 Oct0.3 h100% moon

26 Oct0.3 h98% moon

27 Oct0.3 h94% moon

28 Octnone88% moon

29 Oct0.3 h79% moon

30 Oct0.3 h69% moon

31 Oct0.3 h58% moon

1 Nov0.3 h46% moon

2 Novnone35% moon

3 Novnone24% moon

4 Novnone15% moon

5 Novnone9% moon

6 Novnone4% moon

7 Novnone1% moon

8 Novnone0% moon

19:20–20:40

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.