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: 2023-05-29 21:00:00, 27° 56' 1" S 153° 17' 34" E (Gold Coast, Australia)
| Object | Twilight Starts | Sunrise | Direction | Sunset | Direction | Twilight Ends |
| Sun | 05:04 | 06:28 | 66° (northeast) | 17:00 | 294.1° (northwest) | 18:23 |
| Object | Rise | Direction | Set | Direction | Age | Luminosity |
| Moon | 13:16 | 83.9° (east) | 01:18 (2023-05-30) | 272.9° (west) | 9 days (waxing) | 67.65%  |
| Object | RA | DEC | Azimuth | Altitude |
| Mars | 8h 29.9m | 20° 31.8' | 293.86° (northwest) | 0.81° |
| Pluto | 20h 10.4m | -22° 41.8' | 113.52° (southeast) | 4.19° |
Deep Sky Objects
| Type | Object | Constellation | Magnitude | RA | Dec | Azimuth | Altitude |
| Open Cluster | NGC 6193 (aka OCL 975) | Ara | 5.2 | 16h 41.3m | -48° 46.0' | 133.67° (southeast) | 49.62° |
| Open Cluster | NGC 6250 (aka OCL 991) | Ara | 5.9 | 16h 57.9m | -45° 56.0' | 128.67° (southeast) | 47.39° |
| Open Cluster | NGC 3114 (aka OCL 802) | Carina | 4.2 | 10h 2.5m | -60° 8.0' | 212.71° (southwest) | 41.49° |
| Open Cluster | IC 2581 (aka Cr 222) | Carina | 4.3 | 10h 27.4m | -57° 38.0' | 214.56° (southwest) | 45.33° |
| Open Cluster | Bochum 9 | Carina | 6.3 | 10h 35.5m | -60° 7.0' | 210.73° (southwest) | 45.33° |
| Open Cluster | NGC 3293 (aka OCL 816) | Carina | 4.7 | 10h 35.8m | -58° 13.0' | 213.19° (southwest) | 46.15° |
| Open Cluster | Bochum 10 | Carina | 6.2 | 10h 42.2m | -59° 9.0' | 211.46° (southwest) | 46.51° |
| Open Cluster | IC 2602 (aka Cr 229) | Carina | 1.9 | 10h 42.9m | -64° 24.0' | 204.84° (southwest) | 44.09° |
| Open Cluster | Tr 14 (aka Cr 230) | Carina | 5.5 | 10h 43.9m | -59° 33.0' | 210.80° (southwest) | 46.53° |
| Open Cluster | Cr 228 | Carina | 4.4 | 10h 44.0m | -60° 5.0' | 210.10° (southwest) | 46.30° |
| Open Cluster | Tr 16 (aka Cr 233) | Carina | 5 | 10h 45.1m | -59° 43.0' | 210.48° (southwest) | 46.59° |
| Open Cluster | NGC 3532 (aka OCL 839) | Carina | 3 | 11h 5.2m | -58° 44.0' | 209.86° (southwest) | 49.31° |
| Open Cluster | Fein 1 | Carina | 4.7 | 11h 6.0m | -59° 48.0' | 208.40° (southwest) | 48.82° |
| Open Cluster | Cr 240 | Carina | 3.9 | 11h 11.7m | -60° 19.0' | 207.14° (southwest) | 49.11° |
| Open Cluster | NGC 3766 (aka OCL 860) | Centaurus | 5.3 | 11h 36.2m | -61° 37.0' | 202.64° (southwest) | 50.56° |
| Open Cluster | Stock 14 | Centaurus | 6.3 | 11h 43.8m | -62° 32.0' | 200.63° (south) | 50.52° |
| Open Cluster | NGC 5281 (aka OCL 911) | Centaurus | 5.9 | 13h 46.6m | -62° 55.0' | 178.70° (south) | 55.00° |
| Open Cluster | NGC 5316 (aka OCL 913) | Centaurus | 6 | 13h 54.0m | -61° 52.0' | 177.06° (south) | 55.99° |
| Open Cluster | NGC 5460 (aka OCL 925) | Centaurus | 5.6 | 14h 7.5m | -48° 21.0' | 167.25° (south) | 68.90° |
| Open Cluster | Lynga 2 | Centaurus | 6.4 | 14h 24.4m | -61° 21.0' | 170.57° (south) | 55.77° |
| Open Cluster | NGC 5617 (aka OCL 919) | Centaurus | 6.3 | 14h 29.7m | -60° 43.0' | 169.12° (south) | 56.16° |
| Open Cluster | NGC 5662 (aka OCL 928) | Centaurus | 5.5 | 14h 35.6m | -56° 37.0' | 164.84° (south) | 59.66° |
| Open Cluster | Mel 111 (aka Cr 256) | Coma Berenices | 1.8 | 12h 25.1m | 26° 7.0' | 339.88° (north) | 33.03° |
| Open Cluster | NGC 4755 (aka OCL 892) | Crux | 4.2 | 12h 53.6m | -60° 21.0' | 190.43° (south) | 56.64° |
| Open Cluster | NGC 6067 (aka OCL 953) | Norma | 5.6 | 16h 13.2m | -54° 13.0' | 144.17° (southeast) | 51.77° |
| Open Cluster | NGC 6087 (aka OCL 948) | Norma | 5.4 | 16h 18.8m | -57° 56.0' | 148.69° (southeast) | 49.28° |
| Open Cluster | NGC 6124 (aka Dunlop 514) | Scorpius | 5.8 | 16h 25.3m | -40° 39.0' | 121.64° (southeast) | 53.96° |
| Open Cluster | Cr 302 | Scorpius | 1 | 16h 26.0m | -26° 13.0' | 97.24° (east) | 53.20° |
| Open Cluster | NGC 6227 (aka ESO 332-**5) | Scorpius | 5 | 16h 51.6m | -41° 13.0' | 121.79° (southeast) | 48.97° |
| Open Cluster | NGC 6231 (aka Dunlop 520) | Scorpius | 2.6 | 16h 54.2m | -41° 49.0' | 122.65° (southeast) | 48.44° |
| Open Cluster | Cr 316 | Scorpius | 3.4 | 16h 55.5m | -40° 50.0' | 121.16° (southeast) | 48.25° |
| Open Cluster | NGC 6242 (aka OCL 1001) | Scorpius | 6.4 | 16h 55.6m | -39° 28.0' | 119.10° (southeast) | 48.26° |
| Open Cluster | NGC 6281 (aka OCL 1003) | Scorpius | 5.4 | 17h 4.7m | -37° 59.0' | 116.95° (southeast) | 46.47° |
| Open Cluster | NGC 6322 (aka OCL 1000) | Scorpius | 6 | 17h 18.4m | -42° 56.0' | 124.04° (southeast) | 43.94° |
| Open Cluster | NGC 6383 (aka NGC 6374) | Scorpius | 5.5 | 17h 34.7m | -32° 35.0' | 110.60° (east) | 39.75° |
| Open Cluster | NGC 6405 (aka M 6) | Scorpius | 4.2 | 17h 40.3m | -32° 15.0' | 110.48° (east) | 38.52° |
| Open Cluster | NGC 6416 (aka OCL 1031) | Scorpius | 5.7 | 17h 44.3m | -32° 22.0' | 110.85° (east) | 37.72° |
| Open Cluster | NGC 6475 (aka M 7) | Scorpius | 3.3 | 17h 53.9m | -34° 48.0' | 114.34° (southeast) | 36.26° |
| Open Cluster | NGC 6494 (aka M 23) | Sagittarius | 5.5 | 17h 57.1m | -18° 59.0' | 96.37° (east) | 31.01° |
| Open Cluster | NGC 6531 (aka M 21) | Sagittarius | 5.9 | 18h 4.2m | -22° 29.0' | 100.87° (east) | 30.71° |
| Open Cluster | NGC 6530 (aka OCL 19) | Sagittarius | 4.6 | 18h 4.5m | -24° 21.0' | 102.94° (east) | 31.27° |
| Open Cluster | Cr 367 | Sagittarius | 6.4 | 18h 9.8m | -23° 50.0' | 102.84° (east) | 29.96° |
| Open Cluster | NGC 6025 (aka OCL 939) | Triangulum Australe | 5.1 | 16h 3.3m | -60° 26.0' | 153.57° (southeast) | 49.55° |
| Open Cluster | IC 2391 (aka Cr 191) | Vela | 2.5 | 8h 39.6m | -52° 55.0' | 222.67° (southwest) | 30.70° |
| Open Cluster | IC 2395 (aka Cr 192) | Vela | 4.6 | 8h 42.5m | -48° 8.0' | 228.25° (southwest) | 30.50° |
| Open Cluster | NGC 2669 (aka OCL 768) | Vela | 6.1 | 8h 46.4m | -52° 57.0' | 222.76° (southwest) | 31.73° |
| Open Cluster | Tr 10 (aka Cr 203) | Vela | 4.6 | 8h 47.8m | -42° 29.0' | 234.89° (southwest) | 30.41° |
| Open Cluster | NGC 3228 (aka OCL 800) | Vela | 6 | 10h 21.4m | -51° 43.0' | 223.04° (southwest) | 46.22° |
| Globular Cluster | NGC 6397 (aka Lac III-11) | Ara | 5.3 | 17h 40.7m | -53° 40.0' | 138.14° (southeast) | 39.63° |
| Globular Cluster | NGC 2808 (aka GCL 13) | Carina | 6.3 | 9h 12.0m | -64° 52.0' | 208.43° (southwest) | 34.80° |
| Globular Cluster | NGC 5139 (aka Omega Centauri) | Centaurus | 3.9 | 13h 26.8m | -47° 29.0' | 186.64° (south) | 70.28° |
| Globular Cluster | NGC 6541 (aka Dunlop 473) | Corona Australis | 6.3 | 18h 8.0m | -43° 42.0' | 125.69° (southeast) | 34.98° |
| Globular Cluster | NGC 5272 (aka M 3) | Canes Venatici | 6.3 | 13h 42.2m | 28° 23.0' | 0.57° (north) | 33.68° |
| Globular Cluster | NGC 6218 (aka M 12) | Ophiuchus | 6.1 | 16h 47.2m | -1° 57.0' | 68.26° (east) | 38.35° |
| Globular Cluster | NGC 6266 (aka M 62) | Ophiuchus | 6.4 | 17h 1.2m | -30° 7.0' | 105.49° (east) | 46.33° |
| Globular Cluster | NGC 6121 (aka M 4) | Scorpius | 5.4 | 16h 23.6m | -26° 32.0' | 97.57° (east) | 53.79° |
| Globular Cluster | NGC 5904 (aka M 5) | Serpens | 5.7 | 15h 18.6m | 2° 5.0' | 42.31° (northeast) | 51.77° |
| Bright Nebula | NGC 3372 (aka Dunlop 309) | Carina | 3 | 10h 45.1m | -59° 52.0' | 210.29° (southwest) | 46.52° |
| Cluster with Nebulosity | IC 2944 (aka Cr 249) | Centaurus | 4.5 | 11h 37.9m | -63° 21.0' | 200.53° (south) | 49.46° |
| Cluster with Nebulosity | NGC 6514 (aka M 20) | Sagittarius | 6.3 | 18h 2.7m | -22° 58.0' | 101.26° (east) | 31.20° |
| Cluster with Nebulosity | NGC 6523 (aka M 8) | Sagittarius | 5 | 18h 3.7m | -24° 23.0' | 102.91° (east) | 31.45° |
Constellations
| Constellation | RA | Dec | Azimuth | Altitude |
| Antlia | 10h 0.0m | -30° 0.0' | 253.58° (west) | 42° |
| Apus | 16h 0.0m | -75° 0.0' | 168.87° (south) | 40° |
| Ara | 17h 39.0m | -53° 0.0' | 137.31° (southeast) | 40° |
| Carina | 9h 0.0m | -60° 0.0' | 214.45° (southwest) | 34° |
| Centaurus | 13h 0.0m | -50° 0.0' | 196.38° (south) | 67° |
| Chamaeleon | 11h 0.0m | -80° 0.0' | 187.87° (south) | 35° |
| Circinus | 15h 0.0m | -60° 0.0' | 162.59° (south) | 55° |
| Coma Berenices | 12h 45.0m | 22° 0.0' | 343.67° (north) | 38° |
| Corvus | 12h 0.0m | -20° 0.0' | 283.69° (west) | 66° |
| Crater | 11h 0.0m | -16° 0.0' | 279.31° (west) | 51° |
| Crux | 12h 30.0m | -60° 0.0' | 195.52° (south) | 56° |
| Hydra | 12h 0.0m | -20° 0.0' | 283.69° (west) | 66° |
| Leo | 11h 0.0m | 15° 0.0' | 312.81° (northwest) | 32° |
| Libra | 15h 0.0m | -15° 0.0' | 59.23° (northeast) | 67° |
| Lupus | 15h 0.0m | -45° 0.0' | 142.36° (southeast) | 67° |
| Musca | 12h 30.0m | -70° 0.0' | 188.64° (south) | 47° |
| Norma | 16h 0.0m | -52° 0.0' | 142.49° (southeast) | 55° |
| Ophiuchus | 17h 0.0m | 0° 0.0' | 68.53° (east) | 35° |
| Scorpius | 17h 0.0m | -31° 0.0' | 106.69° (east) | 47° |
| Serpens | 17h 0.0m | 3° 0.0' | 65.60° (northeast) | 33° |
| Sextans | 10h 0.0m | 0° 0.0' | 288.15° (west) | 30° |
| Triangulum Australe | 16h 0.0m | -65° 0.0' | 159.22° (south) | 47° |
| Vela | 9h 0.0m | -50° 0.0' | 226.47° (southwest) | 34° |
| Virgo | 13h 0.0m | 0° 0.0' | 339.35° (north) | 60° |
Light Pollution Report - from GlobeAtNight.org
| Date | Distance from location | Naked-eye Mag. | Cloud cover | Sky Comments | Location Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6/03/2011 | 35.41km | 3 | over 1/2 of sky | altostratus cloud cover, traveling northwest, sky glow further east. Brock Bell (B.B.) | suburban, a few house lights mostly from windows, quite a few trees, |
| 22/03/2011 | 57.92km | 4 | clear | ||
| 22/03/2011 | 32.83km | 4 | clear | ||
| 23/03/2011 | 46.74km | 5 | clear | Fairly 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. |
| 23/03/2011 | 46.74km | 5 | clear | Minor 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. |
| 26/03/2011 | 0.03km | 6 | clear | A 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. |
| 2/04/2011 | 21.67km | 4 | 1/4 of sky | just 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. |
| 3/04/2011 | 53.71km | 4 | clear | Sky glow from state capital city (Brisbane) north northeast | Urban |
| 4/04/2011 | 21.67km | 4 | 1/2 of sky | clouds come in and out | |
| 3/11/2010 | 52.50km | 3 | 1/4 of sky | ||
| 03/15/10 | 59.36km | 4 | 1/2 of sky | I 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-09 | 56.72km | 5 | 1/2 of sky | Passing 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-09 | 56.79km | 5 | clear | Pretty 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-09 | 21.62km | 3 | clear | Suburban near ocean | |
| 25-Mar-09 | 10.18km | 4 | clear | ||
| 3/01/2008 20 | 44.12km | 5 | clear | Street lights and walkway lights within 100 metres, hidden from view | |
| 3/02/2008 20 | 44.12km | 5 | over 1/2 of sky | Full cloud cover 30 mins later S&T.com | |
| 3/02/2008 21 | 59.06km | 5 | 1/4 of sky | ||
| 3/04/2008 20 | 44.12km | 5 | clear | S&T.com | |
| 3/05/2008 20 | 44.12km | -9999 | over 1/2 of sky | Total cloud and pouring rain S&T.com | |
| 3/06/2008 21 | 44.12km | 5 | clear | S&T.com | |
| 3/07/2008 21 | 44.12km | 5 | clear | S&T.com | |
| 3/08/2008 21 | 44.12km | 5 | clear | S&T.com |