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Live Sky Report

What Can I See in the Sky Tonight in Alabama?

Waning Crescent moon at 13%, Mars shines at magnitude 0.8. Calculated for 32.81°, -86.79°.

Moon
Waning Crescent
13% lit
Sunset
10:52 PM
Dusk 12:16 AM
Dark hours
10.5 h
Dawn 10:45 AM
Aurora
Needs Kp 9+
Belt 58°

Visible planets tonight

Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Venus — brightest: Mars at mag 0.8 in Leo

🔭 Tonight's Sky Report

📍 Alabama — Thursday, November 5

⭐ StargazingGood
🌙 MoonWaning Crescent • 13% Illumination
🪐 Visible planetsVenus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn
🌠 Meteor activityLeonids in 11 days
🌌 Milky WayVisible after dark, low moonlight
🛰️ ISSNext pass ~Nov 6, 5:01 AM CST
🌈 AuroraUnlikely — Quiet (Kp 0.7)
☁️ Cloud cover22%
🌡️ Temperature66°F

Weather observed: 3:00 PM UTC · Space weather observed: 12:00 PM UTC

Tonight's sky above Alabama

Alabama's sky tonight is a real, computable state — every value on this page comes from live NOAA space weather data, live orbital elements for the ISS, and astronomy-engine's ephemeris for the Sun, Moon, and planets.

Local sky character in Alabama

Northern mid-latitudes · northern hemisphere

  • The north celestial pole stands 32.8° above the horizon, so stars within 33° of it never set from here.
  • About 77.1% of the whole sky rises above the horizon at some point in the year from this latitude.
  • The Milky Way's core in Sagittarius culminates about 28.2° up, staying low, so a clear southern horizon matters.
Pole altitude
32.8°
Sky reachable
77.1%
Milky Way core
28.2° max
Aurora borealis
Kp 9+
GoodSky Viewing Conditions tonight

What does this mean for you?

Your Sky Briefing

Right now
The sky is currently too bright for stargazing or aurora viewing.
Tonight
Skies are expected to stay mostly clear, with minimal interference from the Moon.
Aurora
Current geomagnetic activity (Kp 0.7, quiet) is not strong enough to bring the aurora to your latitude.
Weather
No significant rain, wind or temperature extremes are expected overnight.

Skies should be clear tonight, making it a good night for stargazing, although aurora activity is unlikely.

Best nights this month in Alabama

Calculated for these coordinates and today's date — not a fixed list.

  • 2026-11-05 — Taurids peak — up to 5/hour

    Radiant in Taurus. Favours the Northern Hemisphere, which includes Alabama. The Moon is 18% lit on peak night, so lunar interference is low.

  • 2026-11-09 — Darkest night of the coming month

    The Moon is only 0% illuminated, giving the least lunar interference in the next 30 nights — the best window for the Milky Way and faint deep-sky targets from Alabama.

  • 2026-11-17 — Leonids peak — up to 15/hour

    Radiant in Leo. Visible from both hemispheres. The Moon is 45% lit on peak night, so lunar interference is moderate.

  • 2026-11-24 — Full Moon

    A 100%-lit Moon washes out faint objects, but lunar terrain along the limb is at its most striking — plan bright targets and planets instead of deep sky.

Alabama stargazing questions

What can I see in the sky tonight from Alabama?
Tonight from Alabama expect a waning crescent Moon at 13% illumination, with these naked-eye planets above the horizon after dark: Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Venus. The night offers about 10.5 hours of true astronomical darkness.
What planets are visible tonight in Alabama?
Tonight in Alabama, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Venus are visible to the naked eye after dark, based on this location's real ephemeris for tonight.
When does darkness start tonight in Alabama?
Astronomical darkness begins at 12:16 AM local time in Alabama tonight, the moment the Sun drops more than 18° below the horizon and the sky becomes fully dark for faint-object observing.
Can you see the aurora tonight in Alabama?
Alabama is far enough from the pole that aurora only reaches overhead during a major geomagnetic storm — specifically when the planetary Kp index reaches about 9, a level reached only a handful of times per solar cycle.
What is the stargazing light pollution level in Alabama?
Alabama doesn't have a population figure in our location data, so we can't estimate a sky-glow category here. A dedicated light-pollution map will give a precise reading for this spot.
Is light pollution a problem in Alabama?
Alabama is small enough that the Milky Way can be visible on clear, moonless nights away from the immediate centre. This page's Moon and darkness figures tell you the other half of the story.
When can I see the Milky Way from Alabama?
The core reaches about 28.2° altitude, so target the moonless nights listed in the best-nights section and get away from the city core.
How dark does it actually get in Alabama tonight?
About 10.5 hours of astronomical darkness (Sun more than 18° below the horizon). That is the real observing window for faint objects; brighter targets are workable from dusk onward.

Nearby cities

Real great-circle distance from Alabama.

More in Alabama

Other sky reports in the same region.

Sky tonight across United States

Other cities in United States with live sky reports.

Popular astronomy destinations

Aurora hubs, dark-sky sites, and observatory towns.

Planning a trip, not just checking tonight? See the full Stargazing in Alabama guide →

🛰️ ISS Visibility

Next visible pass rises at 11:01 AM, lasting about 2 minutes.

4 more visible passes predicted in this window.

☄️ Leonids peaks in 11 days

Up to 15 meteors/hour at peak, radiating from Leo.

Full viewing guide →

Related astronomy for Alabama

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this just astronomy weather for Alabama?

This page goes beyond ordinary astronomy weather -- it combines real local weather for astronomy, live space weather, and the space weather aurora connection into one live report for Alabama.

What are tonight's astronomy viewing conditions for Alabama?

The sky viewing conditions badge above reflects the real astronomy viewing conditions for Alabama right now -- cloud cover, darkness, and moon interference combined, not moon phase alone. Good weather for stargazing depends on all of these together.