What time should I go outside tonight?

The best window is between the end of astronomical twilight and moonrise (or moonset, if the Moon is already up). Times shown on this page are computed for your saved location and your device's timezone.

Do I need a telescope?

No. The Moon, planets, ISS passes, meteors and the Milky Way core are all naked-eye. Binoculars help for the Moon and Jupiter's moons; a small telescope opens Saturn's rings and Mars' polar cap.

Why are some events missing tonight?

Events only appear when the object is above your horizon during dark hours. In summer at high latitudes some events are skipped because the sky never gets fully dark.

Can I add an event to my calendar?

Yes — every timed event has an 'Add to calendar' link that generates a standard .ics file you can open in Apple Calendar, Google Calendar or Outlook.

How accurate are the times?

Sun, Moon and planet times use the same ephemeris (astronomy-engine) that professional planetariums rely on; the error is under one minute for any point on Earth. ISS times depend on the most recent orbital element data and are accurate to a few seconds.

Oslo, Norway

Tonight's sky timeline

Every moment worth stepping outside for — in your local time.

Clear stretches are hard to predict tonight without weather data. A 11% waning crescent rises at 00:35 and stays up until dawn, so anything faint is best chased before then. True astronomical darkness never arrives at your latitude tonight — you'll be planning around a permanent blue-hour twilight.

Even quiet nights reward a walk outside: the Moon, one bright planet, and the shape of the constellations. Fainter targets (Milky Way core, meteor showers, deep sky) aren't realistic tonight — focus on bright objects that punch through twilight.

Astronomical darkness: None
Moon: 11%
Cloud cover: —

The shape of tonight

Astro darkMoon upCloud cover

20:47
Moonset
The Moon leaves the sky; deep-sky darkness returns if before dawn.
22:29
Sunset
The Sun crosses the horizon; blue hour begins.
00:07
Civil twilight ends
Sky darkens; brightest stars and planets appear.
00:35
Moonrise
11% illuminated. Deep-sky viewing becomes harder from here on.
Add to calendar
04:14
Mars at best altitude
17° above the east — the highest, sharpest view tonight.
Look east Add to calendar
04:14
Saturn at best altitude
26° above the southeast — the highest, sharpest view tonight.
Look southeast Add to calendar
04:15
Sunrise
The Sun returns and the night is over.

What to bring tonight

Tuned to tonight's temperature, wind and what you'll actually be looking at. Nothing exotic — just what makes standing outside for an hour feel effortless.

A dark spot
Get away from direct streetlights; your own shadow shouldn't be visible.
A hot drink
The best decision you'll make all night.

How to use tonight's timeline

The strongest viewing usually starts once the Sun is more than 12° below the horizon (the end of nautical twilight) and ends either at moonrise, moonset, or the first hint of dawn — whichever comes first. If a bright Moon is up, that window still works beautifully for planets, the ISS, and the Moon itself.

If you have a single hour tonight, spend it on the top-listed planet or on the next ISS pass. If you have three hours and dark skies, try the Milky Way core once astronomical darkness begins.

Check the score and note the best viewing window listed above.
Dress warmer than you think you need — you'll be still for a while.
Get away from direct light sources; give your eyes 15–20 minutes to adapt.
Face the compass direction listed for tonight's signature event.
Use a red flashlight, not white, to preserve your night vision.

Frequently asked questions

Tonight in detail

The numbers behind tonight

Everything computed from your saved location and today's date — twilight times to the minute, twilight durations, moon and planet basics.

Astronomical figures for Oslo, Norway tonight
Metric	Value
Sunset	22:29
Civil twilight ends	00:07
Nautical twilight ends	—
Astronomical twilight ends	—
Astronomical dawn begins	—
Sunrise	04:15
Civil twilight duration	97 min
Nautical twilight duration	—
Astronomical twilight duration	—
Moonrise	00:35
Moonset	20:47
Moon illumination	11%
Moon phase	Waning Crescent
Planets above the horizon	2
ISS passes tonight	0

Seven nights ahead

The week ahead from your location

A quick planner — moon phase, moonrise, moonset and how many hours of true astronomical darkness each night gives you.

Astronomical outlook for the next seven nights
Date	Moon	Phase	Moonrise	Moonset	Dark hours
Jul 11	12%	Waning Crescent	00:35	20:47	None
Jul 12	6%	Waning Crescent	01:35	22:08	None
Jul 13	1%	New Moon	03:18	22:45	None
Jul 14	0%	New Moon	05:15	22:59	None
Jul 15	2%	New Moon	07:07	23:04	None
Jul 16	6%	Waxing Crescent	08:51	23:06	None
Jul 17	13%	Waxing Crescent	10:28	23:07	None

Glossary

Terms used on this page

Every astronomy term that shows up in tonight's timeline, defined once in plain language.

Altitude: Angle above the horizon, from 0° at the horizon to 90° at the zenith.
Azimuth: Compass direction along the horizon, from 0° (north) through 90° (east), 180° (south) and 270° (west).
Magnitude: How bright an object appears. Lower is brighter — Sirius is −1.4, the faintest naked-eye star is around +6.
Transit / culmination: The moment an object crosses your local meridian and reaches its highest point in the sky.
Kp index: A 0–9 scale of global geomagnetic activity. Higher Kp pushes the aurora further from the poles.
ZHR: Zenithal Hourly Rate — the meteors per hour an observer would count under a perfect dark sky with the radiant overhead.

Keep exploring tonight's sky

Times shown in your device's local time. Visibility depends on local weather, terrain and light pollution.Data sources & methodology

Tonight's sky timeline

Moonset

Sunset

Civil twilight ends

Moonrise

Mars at best altitude

Saturn at best altitude

Sunrise