How to Use: Night Sky City Page

The header on the Night Sky page shows the current Moon phase, along with information about the night time at your location. Night Time shows the duration of the night, which is the period between sunset and sunrise, and it includes the three phases of twilight in the morning and evening. Because of this, the time span displayed under Night Time includes periods when the sky is not entirely dark and when it is difficult to see the fainter objects in the sky. In addition, the times for Sunset, Sunrise, End of Twilight (nautical), and Start of Twilight (nautical) are displayed.

Please note: Before noon, this page shows the times for the previous night. It switches to the coming night at noon local time (page reload needed).

Use the search field that says “Search for city or place...” to open the Night Sky City Page for a different location. The search supports ZIP and postal codes for the United States (5-digit ZIP codes only), Canada (first 3 letters/digits only), Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Norway.

You can also enter geographic coordinates (longitude and latitude) to find the same information for any place on Earth. Enter a number into the search field to see a list of permitted formats.

Problems? See “The city search lists several places with the same name. Which is the one I'm looking for?” in the FAQ: Troubleshooting section below.

Use the navigation tabs under the search field to access the Main City Page (Time/General tab) or other sub-pages dedicated to specific topics, such as Weather, Time Zone, and DST Changes in the city.

The Night Sky Map near the top of the page represents the sky above the selected location on the date and time you choose. It allows you to easily locate planets, the Moon, the Sun, stars, constellations, and comets. You can track the movement of your chosen object across the sky for the selected time period. The Night Sky Map also shows all solar and lunar eclipses.

See How to Use the Interactive Night Sky Map section below for instructions.

The Tonight's Sky in... section lists all planets that are visible from the selected location and their rise or set times in the coming night. Planets that are not visible at night during the current time of the year are omitted here. Before noon local time, planet visibility for the previous night is shown.

Click on one of the planets to see more information. The horizontal line on the graph signifies the horizon and the curved line represents the planet's apparent movements from the perspective of the selected location.

Rise and Set mark the moments when the planet crosses the horizon; Meridian is the moment when it reaches the highest position in the sky, appearing either due north, due south, or in the zenith position directly overhead. The darker shading represents night time while the lighter shading shows the twilight phases.

The graph defaults to the current time. If you are on desktop, you can move over it with your mouse to select a different time. Below the graph, you will find the planet's altitude and direction at the selected time. These are the coordinates you need to locate the planet in the sky. Learn about how to use them here.

The table at the bottom of the page offers the option to find out concise planet visibility data for a date of your choice. Use the drop-down menus above the table to select a different date.

The Interactive Night Sky Map allows you to easily locate a planet, the Moon, the Sun, stars, constellations, and comets. You can track the movement of an object across the sky above the selected location during the chosen time period.

To select an object, click on the search icon to open the search panel (if it is not already open). From here, you can choose between four categories: “Sun, Moon, Planets,” “Constellations,” “Stars,” and “Comets.” Within these categories, you can choose a specific planet, star, constellation, etc. Alternatively, you can click directly on the object of interest in the Night Sky Map or use the search bar in the search panel to find the object you want to see. When you start typing in the search bar, a selection of suitable objects from any category will appear.

To stop following an object, close the search panel by clicking on the X, or select a different object by clicking on it in the map or finding it in the search panel.

Once you have chosen an object, the search panel will show some information about it. For mobile, this information is minimized by default, and you can click the up arrow to expand it. If applicable, it will give the set and rise time, along with the best time to view the object. If the object does not rise, or if it remains invisible from the selected location for other reasons, Not visible is shown instead. This can happen for several reasons, such as:

• Polar day: The Sun does not set in the selected location on the selected date (Midnight Sun).
• Down at night: The object is below the horizon during most or all of the night.
• Does not rise: The object does not rise above the horizon on the selected date at all.

If the object is visible, you'll receive a visibility indicator along with a symbol showing whether it can be seen with the naked eye, binoculars, or a telescope.

You'll also be provided with the object's altitude and direction in the sky.

Note: Constellations will not include visibility information, but they will have rise and set times, if applicable.

Once you have selected an object to follow (see Selecting an object for instructions), the Interactive Night Sky Map will locate the object in the sky and provide handy information for viewing it.

The object itself is marked and named in the sky, even at times when it is not visible. For the planets, the Sun, the Moon, individual stars, and comets, a curved orange line represents the object's apparent path across the sky during the selected date (noon to noon), as seen from the selected location. The solid portion of the line shows the object's movement before the currently shown point in time; the dotted portion shows its movement after that moment. The path line can be switched on or off in the Settings.

Note: The path line always covers a 24-hour period (noon to noon). By far most of the object's apparent movement is caused by the Earth's rotation. However, since the planets and the Moon are in constant motion and the Sun also shifts its apparent position each day in relation to the Earth, their position in the sky changes slightly from one noon to the next. For this reason, the beginning and end of the path line may not join up. While the planets only move very slightly in relation to the stars during 24 hours, some celestial objects, such as the Moon, cover a comparatively large daily distance, causing a clearly visible gap between the beginning and end of the path line. This is not an error but a realistic representation of their actual movement.

The info box on the left shows

• the object's name,
• rise, set, and best viewing times (if applicable),
• its altitude and direction at the selected moment,
• an abbreviation of the general compass direction (N = north, E = East, S = South, W = West),
• a verbal, color-coded indication of the viewing conditions, and
• an icon indicating if the planet is visible to the naked eye
  or if you need binoculars
  or a telescope
  to see it. (Binoculars are displayed if the apparent magnitude is 5-10 mag; a telescope is shown if it is greater than 10. Both magnitude figures are adjusted for atmospheric absorption, based on an extinction coefficient of 0.25.)

Click on the Rise, Best, or Set times to jump to that moment in the animation.

Please see Object visibility for more information about object brightness and viewing conditions.

Note: The constellations will not have visibility information, but they will have a rise and set time, if applicable.

The Interactive Night Sky Map defaults to the current date and time (real-time mode). Click on the calendar at the bottom of the animation to select a different date.

To select a time of day, drag the marker on the progress bar at the bottom of the animated map. Alternatively, click on the time display at the bottom (on mobile devices, tap on the clock icon) and enter a time manually. If you use the 12-hour clock format, you can also click on AM or PM to switch between the two. You can change the clock format in our sitewide settings.

Due to limitations in mobile operating systems, you can only select hours and minutes on mobile devices.

• The animation always encompasses a 24-hour period, from noon to noon.
• If you view the animation before 12:00 noon, it defaults to the previous night (yesterday's noon until today's noon); after 12:00 noon, it shows the upcoming night (today's noon until tomorrow's noon).
• The same is the case for the dates you select manually. For instance, if you choose October 24, it will show the period starting at noon on the day before (i.e., from noon on October 23 to noon on October 24); after 12:00 noon, it will display the time from noon on the date you selected (i.e., from noon on October 24 to noon on October 25).

Use the play/pause fast forward , and rewind buttons at the bottom to animate the sky map. You can also drag the marker on the progress bar to go back and forth in time.

Note: Even in play mode, the animation is sped up and does not represent true speed. The only way to play the animation in real speed is by clicking on LIVE, which will launch real-time mode.

Click on LIVE at the bottom to see a representation of the current sky above the selected location. Click again or drag the progress bar to leave real-time mode. Selecting a different date or time will also deactivate real-time mode.

Once you have selected an object to follow, the Interactive Night Sky Map gives a general indication of the viewing conditions for that object. The following visibility indications are available for the Sun, Moon, planets, individual stars, and comets, but not for constellations.

• The progress bar is color-coded to visualize the stages of visibility over the course of the selected date, ranging from a shade of red (no visibility) to a shade of green (best possible visibility).
• The search panel provides an additional description of the viewing conditions. It includes an eye icon
  , a binocular icon
  , or a telescope icon
  to indicate if the object is visible to the naked eye or if you will need viewing aids, such as binoculars or a telescope, to see it. (Binoculars are displayed if the apparent magnitude is 5-10 mag; a telescope is shown if it is greater than 10. Both magnitude figures are adjusted for atmospheric absorption based on an extinction coefficient of 0.25. See also “What is magnitude?” below.)

The visibility prediction is based on factors like the object’s location in the sky, its apparent distance from the horizon and the Sun, and the intensity of sunlight, including the twilight phases. It currently does not factor in the object's apparent distance from the Moon or the light pollution conditions. Weather conditions are also not taken into account, so please keep an eye on the weather forecast for your city before heading out to watch the sky.

The Interactive Night Sky Map can be dragged in any direction above the horizon. Use the compass directions at the bottom to keep your bearings. On desktop computers, you can click the compass needle on the right to face north.

Use the plus + and minus − buttons to zoom in and out. On desktop, you may also zoom in and out by scrolling up and down with your mouse or touchpad. On a mobile device, you can achieve the same by pinching the screen.

On most mobile devices, the animation offers a 360-degree mode which allows you to steer the sky map by pointing your device at the sky, using it like a camera. To activate, simply tap the compass icon on the right.

On most mobile devices, the animation offers a 360-degree mode which allows you to steer the sky map by pointing your device at the sky. To activate, simply tap on on the right and use your device like a camera to control the map's orientation.

Click on the gear wheel icon at the bottom to access the settings menu. The following settings are available:

• Follow selected object: Enable to always keep the selected object on the screen by following its movement across the sky.
• Constellations: Show or hide the constellations in the star map.
• Object's daily path: Show or hide the line marking the apparent movement of the selected object across the sky on the chosen date (noon to noon).
• Compass directions: Show or hide the directions at the bottom of the animation.
• Elevated horizon: Switch between a flat horizon and a more realistic horizon with hills. Note that neither option depicts the actual horizon at the selected location.

The page is updated at noon local time, so it shows last night's information before that. That said, the Interactive Night Sky Map allows you to select any date and time (see Selecting a date and time for instructions).

There are several reasons why a planet or object may remain invisible even though it rises above the horizon. It may be too bright at night or the object may only rise above the horizon during daylight hours.

When that is the case, the object selector marks the object as Not visible. Possible reasons for this could be:

• Polar day: The Sun does not set in the selected location on the selected date (Midnight Sun).
• Down at night: The object is below the horizon during most or all of the night.
• Does not rise: The object does not rise above the horizon on the selected date at all.

However, if you select the object, its rise and set times will still be shown in the info box on the left.

Note: The constellations will not have visibility information, but they will have a rise and set time, if applicable.

The Interactive Night Sky Map takes into account more parameters to determine the expected visibility of an object than the tables below the map. If in doubt, go with the prediction shown in the Night Sky Map.

On most mobile devices, you need to enter full-screen mode to use the Interactive Night Sky Map. To do so, simply tap on the animation (it usually shows an icon depicting a hand pressing a button).

If it still does not work for you, please let us know.

Unfortunately, some older mobile devices do not support the 360-degree mode. If you have a newer device with updated software and cannot view the compass option, or if the sky map is showing you the wrong directions, please follow these steps:

• Calibrate the compass on your phone. Use your phone's manual to guide you. Sometimes, stepping out of a building and walking around with your device pointed toward the sky can also help.
• Ensure that your phone compass is showing the correct direction by opening a navigation app and seeing if it shows the right direction for a known location. If not, calibrate your phone's compass by following the steps provided by your manual.
• If the compass is calibrated and the sky map still doesn't work or shows the wrong direction, try using a different browser.

If it still does not work for you, please let us know.

If the sky map is showing you the wrong directions once you activated the 360-degree mode, please follow these steps:

• Calibrate the compass on your phone. Use your phone's manual to guide you.
• Sometimes, stepping out of a building and walking around with your device pointed toward the sky can also help.
• After calibration, you may want to check if your phone compass is now correct by opening a navigation app and seeing if it shows the right direction for a known location.
• If the compass is calibrated and the sky map still doesn't work or shows the wrong direction, try using a different browser.

The lists of planets under Tonight's Sky in... only shows the planets that are visible during that night.

Please note that we do not include Pluto because it is no longer classified as a planet. In any case, you would need quite a powerful telescope to see Pluto.

In 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) issued an official definition of what constitutes a planet. This definition excludes Pluto, so it has since been classified as a dwarf planet. That is why we don't include it here. In any case, you would need quite a powerful telescope to see Pluto.

The Interactive Night Sky Map always covers a 24-hour period (noon to noon). Since the planets and the Moon are in constant motion and the Sun also shifts its apparent position each day in relation to the Earth, their position in the sky changes slightly from one noon to the next.

For this reason, the beginning and end of the path line may not join up. While the planets only move very slightly in relation to the stars during 24 hours, some celestial objects, such as the Moon, cover a comparatively large daily distance, causing a clearly visible gap between the beginning and end of the path line. This is not an error but a realistic representation of their actual movement.

Celestial objects may look closer to each other in the Interactive Night Sky Map than in real life. For example, when a star or planet is quite close to the Moon on the map, it may not be that close in the real sky.

This is because we exaggerate the sizes of celestial objects somewhat to make it easier to find and track them, causing the perceived distances between the objects to shrink a little bit.

To use our new map location picker, click on the search field and then on Open Map. To choose your location, click on the map and click Select. Clicking Cancel closes the window.

You can use the search field to find your location, and then refine it by clicking on the map to get closer to your desired location. Clicking the target icon will take you to the location you have customized in the settings.

Using the zoom:

• The plus and minus symbols on the map zoom it in and out.
• You can move the map around in the window by clicking and holding your mouse button. If you are on a mobile or tablet, you move the map by holding your finger down.
• Click the mouse button or tap your finger to drop a pin on your desired location. If you have the map zoomed out, it will snap to the nearest location. Zooming right in will give you the coordinates of the location.

We appreciate your feedback! The map location picker is a BETA service, so it is still under development. If you find anything wrong or have suggestions to improve it, please let us know.

Our database of locations includes thousands of cities worldwide, and we now offer an additional 6 million places via the GeoNames database. If you still don't find your town, please let us know, and we will consider adding it.

When you type the location into the search field and it suggests several places by the same name, first have a look at the country flag and the description in parentheses to identify the city you are looking for. If it is still unclear, click on one of the locations and check the geographical position on the map (on desktop) or click on the Time/General tab and check the longitude/latitude information shown near the top of the page.

If you are seeing a bright star or planet, and you have a mobile device on you, open the Interactive Night Sky Map and enter your location. Select 360-degree mode by tapping on the compass needle on the right, and point your device at the object you are seeing, using it like a camera. The object should now be shown in the Night Sky Map. Tap on it to find out its name.

To find the same information after you have witnessed a bright object in the sky, follow these steps:

• In the Interactive Night Sky Map, select your location (see Search for a different location for instructions) and the date and time you saw the object (see Selecting a date and time for instructions).
• Drag the sky map to the approximate direction you saw the object. Use the direction markers at the bottom of the animation for orientation.
• Find the object in the sky map. The constellations may help you to locate it.
• On desktop, hover your mouse over the object to find out its name, and click it for more information. On mobile, tap on the object to find out its name and more information.

For an indication of the visibility of the planets at different times of the year, please go to the Planet Distance page. Select Brightness at the top, and enter a date at the bottom of the graph. If the object you are witnessing is very bright, it is probably one of the planets shown on the left side of the graph.

Venus is the third brightest object in the sky, after the Sun and the Moon, and often appears near the Sun—just before sunrise or just after sunset. As a result, the planet is generally known as the “morning star” or “evening star.”

If you are seeing a bright star or planet, and you have a mobile device with you, open the Interactive Night Sky Map and enter your location. Select 360-degree mode by tapping the compass needle on the right and then use your device like a camera and point it at the object you see. The Night Sky Map should now show you the object. Tap on the object to see its name.

To find the same information after you have witnessed a bright object in the sky, follow these steps:

• In the Interactive Night Sky Map, select your location (see Search for a different location for instructions) and the date and time you saw the object (see Selecting a date and time for instructions).
• Drag the sky map into the approximate direction you saw the planet. Use the direction markers at the bottom of the animation for orientation.
• Find the object in the sky map. The constellations may help you to locate it.
• On desktop, hover your mouse over the object to find out its name, and click it for more information. On mobile, tap on the object to find out its name and more.

For an indication of the visibility of the planets at different times of the year, please go to the Planet Distance page, select Brightness at the top, and enter a date at the bottom of the graph. If the star you are witnessing is very bright, it is probably one of the planets shown on the left side of the graph.

To select a different object in the night sky animation on desktop, click on the magnifying glass in the top-left corner. If you have an object selected, the search panel will show information about the object. You can choose a different object within the same category by pressing the back arrow once. If you want to select a new object in a different category, click the back arrow until you reach “Categories.”

To select a different object in the night sky animation on mobile, click on the magnifying glass at the bottom. If you already have an object selected, the search panel will open in your object’s category. You can then select a new object within the same category or press the back arrow to get to the main categories and choose from there.

If you already know which object you want to look at, you can click the magnifying glass to open the search panel and type the object's name in the search field at the top.

The eye, binoculars, and telescope icons shown in the search panel are indications of the expected brightness and visibility of the selected object at the selected time. The eye icon means that the object is visible to the naked eye; the binocular icon is shown if the object can only be seen with binoculars (apparent magnitude 5-10 mag); the telescope icon is shown for very faint objects (apparent magnitude greater than 10 mag) that can only be seen through a telescope.

All magnitude figures are adjusted for atmospheric absorption, based on an extinction coefficient of 0.25.

Yes, the animation correctly reflects all solar and lunar eclipses. To test this, please find an eclipse in our eclipse database, select a location where the eclipse is visible (see Search for a different location for instructions), and select the correct date and time in the Night Sky Map (see Selecting a date and time for instructions).

You will find them explained here.

A location's meridian is an imaginary line running along the Earth's surface from the North Pole to the South Pole and crossing the location. When a planet is directly above your location's meridian, it reaches its highest position in the sky and appears either due north, due south, or in the zenith position directly overhead.

Apparent magnitude is used to classify the observed brightness of a star or object in the sky. For very bright objects, the value is negative, while for very faint objects, it is positive. The lower the value, the brighter the object appears in the sky.

In our Night Sky Map, an object is shown to be visible by the naked eye if its magnitude is less than 5, visible by using binoculars if it has a magnitude of 5–10, and visible by telescope if it is above 10. What is visible by the eye will vary slightly based on eyesight, in addition to atmospheric conditions.

Some of the light from objects will be absorbed and scattered by dust or the atmosphere—this is known as extinction. Our magnitudes are adjusted for atmospheric absorption based on an extinction coefficient of 0.25.

Note: Apparent magnitude is not the same as eclipse magnitude.

Yes, our city search engine supports ZIP and postal codes for the United States (5-digit ZIP codes only), Canada (first 3 letters/digits only), Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Norway.

Yes, you can look up any location by entering geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude) into the search field.

Please use one of the following formats:

• Degrees and minutes, e.g., 40.42N 73.59W
• Decimal format, e.g., 40.71 -73.98

You can look up any location on Earth by entering geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude) into the search field.

Please use one of the following formats:

• Degrees and minutes, e.g., 40.42N 73.59W
• Decimal format, e.g., 40.71 -73.98

We are a small team with very extensive websites to manage, so, unfortunately, we do not have the capacity to share detailed information about our algorithms or provide programming help.

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