As of September 9, 2026 (UTC): New Moon, 2% illuminated at Georgetown, Guyana (default).
Moon phase drives almost everything else for stargazing — a bright gibbous washes out faint targets; new Moon opens deep-sky windows.
Bright steady objects sitting next to the Moon are usually planets (Venus, Jupiter, Saturn). Use the live feed for tonight’s phase and Dark Sky Window for moonless observing hours. To simulate the next lunar or solar eclipse (contacts + 3D disc), open the eclipse viewers — this page stays on phase and illumination.
Dark Sky Window · Email sky alerts · Open live Sky Events feed · Lunar Eclipse 3D Viewer · Solar Eclipse Times & Local View · Planets Visible Tonight
Check phase and percent illuminated in the snapshot above — that sets how bright the skyglow is. Pair with Dark Sky Window for when moonless dark hours open for deep-sky targets.
Most Moon pairings are planets — Venus, Jupiter, Mars, or Saturn — or first-magnitude stars like Antares, Spica, Aldebaran, or Regulus. Check Planet Visibility for bearings.
Use Dark Sky Window for moonless stretches after astronomical dusk. Around full Moon, deep-sky work is limited; planets and bright clusters still work.
Lunar eclipse contact times and a 3D umbra disc: /tools/eclipse-viewer/. Local solar contacts, obscuration, and eye-safety (ISO 12312-2): /tools/solar-eclipse-viewer/. This Moon tonight page is for phase and illumination only.