88° UPLyrathe Lyre
Looksouth-western 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.
SKY · CONSTELLATIONS · USA
Constellations Visible Tonight — Washington, D.C.
Tonight over Washington, D.C., 11 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 · WASHINGTON, D.C.
Dark by9:51 PM
Until5:46 AM
High up now11
Never rise here7
Altitudes computed for Washington, D.C. (38.9°, -77.0°) during tonight's dark hours.
High in the sky over Washington, D.C. tonight
86° UPCygnusthe Swan / the Northern Cross
Looknorth-western sky
Anchor starDeneb
How to know itA great cross of stars flying down the summer Milky Way, with brilliant Deneb at its tail.
59° UPBoötesthe Herdsman
Lookwestern sky
Anchor starArcturus
How to know itA kite-shaped figure led by Arcturus, the brightest star of the northern spring sky.
58° UPPegasusthe Winged Horse
Looksouth-eastern sky
Anchor starMarkab
How to know itThe "Great Square" of Pegasus is a big, easy autumn signpost high in the eastern sky.
54° UPAquilathe Eagle
Looksouthern sky
Anchor starAltair
How to know itBright Altair completes the Summer Triangle with Vega and Deneb, straddling the celestial equator.
48° 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.
46° UPAndromedathe Chained Princess
Lookeastern sky
Anchor starAlpheratz
How to know itHome to the Andromeda Galaxy — the most distant thing visible to the naked eye, a faint smudge on a dark night.
31° 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.
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.
23° UPPerseusthe Hero
Looknorth-eastern sky
Anchor starMirfak
How to know itA rich slice of the Milky Way and the radiant of the August Perseid meteor shower.
21° 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.
“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 Washington, D.C.
These clear the horizon but stay low, so trees and buildings may hide them: Leo (~6°, western).
Out of reach from Washington, D.C.
At Washington, D.C.'s latitude these never climb above the horizon, so you can't see them from here at any time of year: Taurus, Centaurus, Gemini, Crux, Orion, Carina, Canis Major. To catch them, you'd need to travel toward the Southern Hemisphere.
Washington, D.C. right now
More sky over Washington, D.C.
SEE IT ON THE MAP
The live sky map shows the day/night line over Washington, D.C. in real time.