Welcome to CreatioNova NightWatch!

This site was originally written to provide a means for myself to easily identify what objects are visible in the sky on any given night of the year. Now I've opened it up to all astronomers and curious minds alike.

The way it works is simple: choose a local date/time, choose your timezone, enter in your geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude) then the site does the rest.
You can also sign up to a service which will automatically email you (eg every night, every week, etc) so that you're always informed of what's coming up without having to check back.
At some stage soon, hopefully we'll even go so far as to make a guess as to how the local weather will impact the quality if your star gazing and factor that into the NightWatch report!


Example report for tonight
This report calculates the sun and moon activity, and also locates constellations and deep space objects from the SAC verison 8 catalog. For observational quality it limits the constellation and DSO results to those within 60° of the local zenith, and only DSOs with a magnitude of 6.5 or better (visible to the naked eye on a good clear dark night).

Using default time and location: 2023-03-22 21:00:00, 27° 56' 1" S 153° 17' 34" E (Gold Coast, Australia)

ObjectTwilight StartsSunriseDirectionSunsetDirectionTwilight Ends
Sun 04:3105:5190°
(east)
17:56270.2°
(west)
19:15

ObjectRiseDirectionSetDirectionAgeLuminosity
Moon 06:0191.4°
(east)
18:23272.5°
(west)
1 days
(waxing)
0.88% 0.88%

ObjectRADECAzimuthAltitude
Mars 5h 52.2m 25° 35.8'313.44°
(northwest)
18.08°

Deep Sky Objects

TypeObjectConstellationMagnitudeRADecAzimuthAltitude
GalaxyLg Magellanic Cl
(aka ESO 056-G115)
Dorado0.4 5h 23.6m-69° 45.0'201.42°
(south)
37.28°
Open ClusterNGC 2516
(aka OCL 776)
Carina3.8 7h 58.1m-60° 45.0'195.61°
(south)
54.90°
Open ClusterNGC 3114
(aka OCL 802)
Carina4.2 10h 2.5m-60° 8.0'168.56°
(south)
56.67°
Open ClusterIC 2581
(aka Cr 222)
Carina4.3 10h 27.4m-57° 38.0'161.22°
(south)
57.48°
Open ClusterBochum 9 Carina6.3 10h 35.5m-60° 7.0'162.04°
(south)
54.83°
Open ClusterNGC 3293
(aka OCL 816)
Carina4.7 10h 35.8m-58° 13.0'160.10°
(south)
56.38°
Open ClusterBochum 10 Carina6.2 10h 42.2m-59° 9.0'159.87°
(south)
55.14°
Open ClusterIC 2602
(aka Cr 229)
Carina1.9 10h 42.9m-64° 24.0'164.69°
(south)
50.76°
Open ClusterTr 14
(aka Cr 230)
Carina5.5 10h 43.9m-59° 33.0'159.98°
(south)
54.69°
Open ClusterCr 228 Carina4.4 10h 44.0m-60° 5.0'160.50°
(south)
54.25°
Open ClusterTr 16
(aka Cr 233)
Carina5 10h 45.1m-59° 43.0'159.94°
(south)
54.46°
Open ClusterNGC 3532
(aka OCL 839)
Carina3 11h 5.2m-58° 44.0'155.54°
(southeast)
53.52°
Open ClusterFein 1 Carina4.7 11h 6.0m-59° 48.0'156.66°
(southeast)
52.69°
Open ClusterCr 240 Carina3.9 11h 11.7m-60° 19.0'156.43°
(southeast)
51.82°
Open ClusterNGC 3766
(aka OCL 860)
Centaurus5.3 11h 36.2m-61° 37.0'154.90°
(southeast)
48.73°
Open ClusterStock 14 Centaurus6.3 11h 43.8m-62° 32.0'155.18°
(southeast)
47.47°
Open ClusterNGC 5281
(aka OCL 911)
Centaurus5.9 13h 46.6m-62° 55.0'149.12°
(southeast)
34.29°
Open ClusterNGC 5316
(aka OCL 913)
Centaurus6 13h 54.0m-61° 52.0'147.78°
(southeast)
33.51°
Open ClusterNGC 5460
(aka OCL 925)
Centaurus5.6 14h 7.5m-48° 21.0'131.94°
(southeast)
30.86°
Open ClusterLynga 2 Centaurus6.4 14h 24.4m-61° 21.0'147.24°
(southeast)
29.89°
Open ClusterNGC 2287
(aka M 41)
Canis Major4.5 6h 46.0m-20° 45.0'274.03°
(west)
56.12°
Open ClusterCr 121 Canis Major2.6 6h 56.3m-24° 44.0'268.13°
(west)
59.53°
Open ClusterCr 132 Canis Major3.6 7h 15.4m-30° 41.0'256.70°
(west)
64.51°
Open ClusterNGC 2362
(aka OCL 633)
Canis Major4.1 7h 18.7m-24° 57.0'270.17°
(west)
64.53°
Open ClusterCr 140 Canis Major3.5 7h 24.5m-31° 51.0'253.84°
(west)
66.45°
Open ClusterNGC 2632
(aka M 44)
Cancer3.1 8h 40.0m 19° 40.0'349.89°
(north)
41.78°
Open ClusterNGC 4755
(aka OCL 892)
Crux4.2 12h 53.6m-60° 21.0'147.38°
(southeast)
40.94°
Open ClusterNGC 2548
(aka M 48)
Hydra5.8 8h 13.7m -5° 45.0'325.40°
(northwest)
63.86°
Open ClusterCr 91 Monoceros6.4 6h 21.5m 2° 20.0'299.35°
(northwest)
39.09°
Open ClusterNGC 2232
(aka OCL 545)
Monoceros3.9 6h 28.0m -4° 51.0'293.02°
(northwest)
44.76°
Open ClusterCr 97 Monoceros5.4 6h 31.0m 5° 50.0'304.73°
(northwest)
38.56°
Open ClusterNGC 2239
(aka NGC 2244)
Monoceros4.8 6h 31.9m 4° 57.0'304.10°
(northwest)
39.33°
Open ClusterCr 106 Monoceros4.6 6h 37.1m 5° 57.0'306.19°
(northwest)
39.58°
Open ClusterCr 107 Monoceros5.1 6h 37.7m 4° 44.0'305.18°
(northwest)
40.53°
Open ClusterNGC 2301
(aka OCL 540)
Monoceros6 6h 51.8m 0° 28.0'304.24°
(northwest)
46.02°
Open ClusterNGC 2323
(aka M 50)
Monoceros5.9 7h 2.5m -8° 23.0'296.38°
(northwest)
53.76°
Open ClusterNGC 1981
(aka OCL 525)
Orion4.2 5h 35.2m -4° 26.0'284.23°
(west)
33.48°
Open ClusterCr 70 Orion0.4 5h 36.0m -1° 0.0'287.82°
(west)
31.84°
Open ClusterCr 135 Puppis2.1 7h 17.4m-36° 50.0'242.40°
(southwest)
64.35°
Open ClusterNGC 2422
(aka M 47)
Puppis4.4 7h 36.6m-14° 29.0'296.36°
(northwest)
64.11°
Open ClusterNGC 2478
(aka NGC 2422)
Puppis4.4 7h 36.6m-14° 29.0'296.36°
(northwest)
64.11°
Open ClusterNGC 2437
(aka M 46)
Puppis6.1 7h 41.8m-14° 49.0'297.43°
(northwest)
65.32°
Open ClusterNGC 2447
(aka M 93)
Puppis6.2 7h 44.5m-23° 51.0'276.77°
(west)
69.94°
Open ClusterNGC 2451
(aka OCL 716)
Puppis2.8 7h 45.3m-37° 58.0'235.46°
(southwest)
69.31°
Open ClusterNGC 2477
(aka OCL 720)
Puppis5.8 7h 52.2m-38° 32.0'232.33°
(southwest)
70.31°
Open ClusterCr 173 Puppis0.6 8h 3.6m-46° 16.0'211.70°
(southwest)
67.26°
Open ClusterNGC 2546
(aka OCL 726)
Puppis6.3 8h 12.3m-37° 36.0'228.50°
(southwest)
74.20°
Open ClusterNGC 2547
(aka OCL 753)
Vela4.7 8h 10.2m-49° 12.0'204.96°
(southwest)
65.65°
Open ClusterPismis 4 Vela5.9 8h 34.6m-44° 22.0'201.98°
(south)
71.95°
Open ClusterIC 2391
(aka Cr 191)
Vela2.5 8h 39.6m-52° 55.0'191.28°
(south)
64.31°
Open ClusterIC 2395
(aka Cr 192)
Vela4.6 8h 42.5m-48° 8.0'193.81°
(south)
69.01°
Open ClusterNGC 2669
(aka OCL 768)
Vela6.1 8h 46.4m-52° 57.0'188.97°
(south)
64.54°
Open ClusterTr 10
(aka Cr 203)
Vela4.6 8h 47.8m-42° 29.0'197.04°
(south)
74.65°
Open ClusterNGC 3228
(aka OCL 800)
Vela6 10h 21.4m-51° 43.0'156.06°
(southeast)
62.89°
Globular ClusterNGC 2808
(aka GCL 13)
Carina6.3 9h 12.0m-64° 52.0'179.99°
(south)
53.07°
Globular ClusterNGC 5139
(aka Omega Centauri)
Centaurus3.9 13h 26.8m-47° 29.0'130.14°
(southeast)
37.57°
Bright NebulaNGC 3372
(aka Dunlop 309)
Carina3 10h 45.1m-59° 52.0'160.09°
(south)
54.34°
Bright NebulaNGC 2238
(aka LBN 948)
Monoceros6 6h 30.7m 5° 1.0'303.90°
(northwest)
39.06°
Cluster with NebulosityIC 2944
(aka Cr 249)
Centaurus4.5 11h 37.9m-63° 21.0'156.75°
(southeast)
47.50°
Cluster with NebulosityNGC 2237
(aka OCL 511)
Monoceros5.5 6h 30.9m 5° 3.0'303.98°
(northwest)
39.07°
Cluster with NebulosityNGC 2244
(aka NGC 2239)
Monoceros4.8 6h 31.9m 4° 57.0'304.10°
(northwest)
39.33°
Cluster with NebulosityNGC 2264
(aka OCL 495)
Monoceros3.9 6h 41.0m 9° 54.0'310.60°
(northwest)
37.43°
Cluster with NebulosityNGC 1976
(aka M 42)
Orion4 5h 35.3m -5° 23.0'283.26°
(west)
33.98°
Cluster with NebulosityNGC 1980
(aka OCL 529)
Orion2.5 5h 35.4m -5° 55.0'282.72°
(west)
34.27°

Constellations

ConstellationRADecAzimuthAltitude
Antlia 10h 0.0m-30° 0.0'104.00°
(east)
79°
Caelum 5h 0.0m-40° 0.0'239.32°
(southwest)
37°
Cancer 9h 0.0m 20° 0.0'356.22°
(north)
42°
Canis Major 7h 0.0m-20° 0.0'277.47°
(west)
59°
Canis Minor 8h 0.0m 5° 0.0'329.43°
(northwest)
53°
Carina 9h 0.0m-60° 0.0'182.81°
(south)
58°
Centaurus 13h 0.0m-50° 0.0'133.57°
(southeast)
42°
Chamaeleon 11h 0.0m-80° 0.0'174.35°
(south)
37°
Columba 6h 0.0m-35° 0.0'247.68°
(west)
49°
Corvus 12h 0.0m-20° 0.0'87.73°
(east)
51°
Crater 11h 0.0m-16° 0.0'70.14°
(east)
62°
Crux 12h 30.0m-60° 0.0'148.19°
(southeast)
44°
Dorado 5h 0.0m-65° 0.0'207.91°
(southwest)
36°
Gemini 7h 0.0m 20° 0.0'322.69°
(northwest)
32°
Hydra 12h 0.0m-20° 0.0'87.73°
(east)
51°
Leo 11h 0.0m 15° 0.0'34.78°
(northeast)
40°
Lepus 6h 0.0m-20° 0.0'269.38°
(west)
46°
Mensa 5h 30.0m-80° 0.0'189.85°
(south)
33°
Monoceros 7h 0.0m -6° 0.0'298.86°
(northwest)
52°
Musca 12h 30.0m-70° 0.0'160.29°
(south)
40°
Pictor 5h 0.0m-50° 0.0'226.68°
(southwest)
38°
Puppis 7h 0.0m-30° 0.0'257.86°
(west)
61°
Pyxis 9h 0.0m-30° 0.0'230.96°
(southwest)
87°
Sextans 10h 0.0m 0° 0.0'24.43°
(northeast)
60°
Vela 9h 0.0m-50° 0.0'185.09°
(south)
68°
Volans 8h 0.0m-70° 0.0'188.86°
(south)
47°

Light Pollution Report - from GlobeAtNight.org

DateDistance from locationNaked-eye Mag.Cloud coverSky CommentsLocation Comments
6/03/201135.41km3over 1/2 of skyaltostratus cloud cover, traveling northwest, sky glow further east. Brock Bell (B.B.)suburban, a few house lights mostly from windows, quite a few trees,
22/03/201157.92km4clear
22/03/201132.83km4clear
23/03/201146.74km5clearFairly clear sky. Minor sky glow from north west (due to Gateway motorway and Brisbane city). Eyes were not yet dark-adjusted, having just come outside from indoor lighting.Suburban. A few nearby lights from houses, etc. 3/4 moon rising in east (approx 10-15 degrees). Trees to north.
23/03/201146.74km5clearMinor sky glow from north west (due to nearby Gateway motorway and Brisbane city).Suburban. Some lights from nearby houses. Trees to north. 3/4 moon rising in east (approx. 10-15 degrees up). Eyes were not yet dark adjusted, having just come out from indoor lighting.
26/03/20110.03km6clearA couple of broken clouds rolling in from south-southeast. Main light glow from GC CBD towards southeast.Park Lake estate. Approx 13km from CBD. Some streetlights and building lights. Hills to south, west and north; observing from valley.
2/04/201121.67km41/4 of skyjust had storm come through and cleared up enough for good viewing still clouds in the west.suburban area. View from backyard. Little bit of light pollution.
3/04/201153.71km4clearSky glow from state capital city (Brisbane) north northeastUrban
4/04/201121.67km41/2 of skyclouds come in and out
3/11/201052.50km31/4 of sky
03/15/1059.36km41/2 of skyI would say it was Mag 4.5 because there were stars visible that Mag 4 but less than 5.Fortitude Valley, Brisbane QLD
29-Mar-0956.72km51/2 of skyPassing rain clouds eventually brought rain. Not the clearest of nights due to scattered showers in the region. Earth Hour appeared to be of negligible benefit here.Reasonably dark park, during "Earth Hour". Not too much direct glare due to trees around the park.
23-Mar-0956.79km5clearPretty clear sky for this time of the evening, only minimal haze tonight. No sighted clouds.Suburban area near top of a hill in a quiet street. Street lamps generally present the main issues with general observing, but there are (late) nights here where Crux and co. are quite 'milky' when conditions are quite cool and stable. So overall, while the location is not as ideal as a local park it is not too bad because there aren't many other places (walking) nearby that offer a better view.
27-Mar-0921.62km3clearSuburban near ocean
25-Mar-0910.18km4clear
3/01/2008 2044.12km5clearStreet lights and walkway lights within 100 metres, hidden from view
3/02/2008 2044.12km5over 1/2 of skyFull cloud cover 30 mins later S&T.com
3/02/2008 2159.06km51/4 of sky
3/04/2008 2044.12km5clear S&T.com
3/05/2008 2044.12km-9999over 1/2 of skyTotal cloud and pouring rain S&T.com
3/06/2008 2144.12km5clear S&T.com
3/07/2008 2144.12km5clear S&T.com
3/08/2008 2144.12km5clear S&T.com