Tonight over Tehran, 9 of the bright, easy-to-spot constellations climb high into a dark sky. Here's what's up, how high, and which way to face.
DARK-SKY WINDOW TONIGHT · TEHRAN
Dark by8:31 PM
Until4:51 AM
High up now9
Never rise here7
Altitudes computed for Tehran (35.7°, 51.4°) during tonight's dark hours.
High in the sky over Tehran tonight
84° UPBoötesthe Herdsman
Looksouthern sky
Anchor starArcturus
How to know itA kite-shaped figure led by Arcturus, the brightest star of the northern spring sky.
74° UPLyrathe Lyre
Lookeastern sky
Anchor starVega
How to know itSmall but led by Vega, one of the brightest stars in the sky and a corner of the Summer Triangle.
58° UPCygnusthe Swan / the Northern Cross
Looknorth-eastern sky
Anchor starDeneb
How to know itA great cross of stars flying down the summer Milky Way, with brilliant Deneb at its tail.
49° UPUrsa Majorthe Great Bear / the Big Dipper
Looknorth-western sky
Anchor starAlioth
How to know itHome to the Big Dipper (the Plough), whose two end stars point to Polaris, the North Star.
45° UPAquilathe Eagle
Looksouth-eastern sky
Anchor starAltair
How to know itBright Altair completes the Summer Triangle with Vega and Deneb, straddling the celestial equator.
34° UPLeothe Lion
Lookwestern sky
Anchor starRegulus
How to know itA backwards question-mark (the "Sickle") forms the Lion’s head, anchored by bright Regulus.
24° UPScorpiusthe Scorpion
Looksouthern sky
Anchor starAntares
How to know itA genuinely scorpion-shaped curve of stars led by red Antares, riding low across the southern summer sky.
23° UPSagittariusthe Archer / the Teapot
Looksouthern sky
Anchor starKaus Australis
How to know itIts bright stars form a "Teapot" — and it points straight at the dense, glowing centre of the Milky Way.
21° UPCassiopeiathe Queen
Looknorth-eastern sky
Anchor starSchedar
How to know itA bright "W" or "M" of five stars, circling the north pole opposite the Big Dipper — useful for finding north.
“Up” is the highest the centre of each pattern gets above the horizon tonight — your fist at arm's length spans about 10°. Directions are where to face when it's best placed.
Low on the horizon from Tehran
These clear the horizon but stay low, so trees and buildings may hide them: Pegasus (~19°, eastern) · Andromeda (~9°, north-eastern) · Centaurus (~3°, southern).
Out of reach from Tehran
At Tehran's latitude these never climb above the horizon, so you can't see them from here at any time of year: Gemini, Perseus, Crux, Taurus, Canis Major, Carina, Orion. To catch them, you'd need to travel toward the Southern Hemisphere.