SKY · STARGAZING · USA

Is Tonight Good for Stargazing in Chicago?

Clear skies tonight (about 12% cloud) with a modest Moon. Bright planets, constellations and brighter deep-sky sights are all on offer; faint detail is a little muted.

TONIGHT'S VERDICT · CHICAGO

VerdictGood night for stargazing

Night cloud12%

MoonWaxing Gibbous · 86%

Dark from8:16 PM

Until5:38 AM

Worth looking for: Planets, constellations, the brighter star clusters — and the Milky Way from a properly dark site.

Live cloud reading

READING TONIGHT'S SKY…

How dark is the sky over Chicago?

Sky class (estimate)Bortle 9 · Inner-city sky

A vast, flat light dome — the lakefront core is Bortle 8–9.

Even on the clearest, Moonless night, a bright city sky limits what you can see. For the Milky Way and faint stars from Chicago, you'll want to reach a darker site — see the options below.

Darker skies within reach of Chicago

~2.5 HR DRIVE SOUTHMiddle Fork River Forest Preserve, ILIDA-certified Dark Sky Park, the first in Illinois.

Dark-sky designations from the International Dark-Sky Association and well-recognised dark regions. Always check access, opening hours and the weather before travelling.

Chicago right now

SKY · TONIGHTEverything up over Chicago tonight EARTH · WEATHERClouds & conditions over Chicago SKY · LIVE MAPCloud cover & the night side over Chicago

More sky over Chicago

SKY · LIVEThe Moon tonight — Chicago SKY · LIVESee the Milky Way — Chicago SKY · LIVEAurora outlook — Chicago SKY · LIVEHow the stargazing rating works

SEE IT ON THE MAP

Live cloud cover over Chicago, on the full map.

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