Galactic core · next 30 nights

Milky Way windows at Scranton

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 Sept1.0 h of core visibility in darkness

Highest core altitude14°near 21:00

Usable nights23 / 30Moonlight and cloud still decide image contrast.

Computed local geometry

Core hours after astronomical twilight

18 Sept1.0 h53% moon

19 Sept1.0 h62% moon

20 Sept1.0 h71% moon

21 Sept1.0 h80% moon

22 Sept1.0 h87% moon

23 Sept1.0 h93% moon

24 Sept0.7 h97% moon

25 Sept0.7 h100% moon

26 Sept0.7 h100% moon

27 Sept0.7 h98% moon

28 Sept0.7 h93% moon

29 Sept0.3 h86% moon

30 Sept0.7 h77% moon

1 Oct0.7 h67% moon

2 Oct0.7 h55% moon

3 Oct0.7 h43% moon

4 Oct0.3 h32% moon

5 Oct0.3 h22% moon

6 Oct0.3 h13% moon

7 Oct0.3 h6% moon

8 Oct0.3 h2% moon

9 Octnone0% moon

10 Octnone1% moon

11 Octnone3% moon

12 Oct0.3 h7% moon

13 Oct0.3 h13% moon

14 Octnone20% moon

15 Octnone28% moon

16 Octnone37% moon

17 Octnone46% moon

21:00–22:00

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 →

Change location

Keep planning

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.