Live Sky Report
What Can I See in the Sky Tonight in Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom?
Waning Crescent moon at 14%, Mars shines at magnitude 0.8. Calculated for 54.60°, -5.93° (Europe/London).
Visible planets tonight
Mars, Jupiter, Saturn — brightest: Mars at mag 0.8 in Leo
🔭 Tonight's Sky Report
📍 Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom — Thursday, November 5
Weather observed: 2:00 PM UTC · Space weather observed: 9:00 AM UTC
Tonight's sky above Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
Skywatchers in Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom have the same live tools professional observers use — a real ephemeris, live Kp readings from NOAA SWPC, and hourly cloud forecasts — condensed into one report on this page.
Local sky character in Belfast
Northern mid-latitudes · northern hemisphere · 7 m elevation
- The north celestial pole stands 54.6° above the horizon, so stars within 55° of it never set from here.
- About 90.8% 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 6.4° up, staying low, so a clear southern horizon matters.
- At 7 m elevation, roughly 0% of the atmosphere's mass is already below you, which measurably reduces extinction near the horizon.
Belfast is a mid-sized urban area — bright constellations and planets work from town; faint deep-sky objects need a drive out.
What does this mean for you?
Your Sky Briefing
- Right now
- The sky is currently too bright for stargazing or aurora viewing.
- Tonight
- Cloud cover is the main factor limiting visibility tonight.
- Aurora
- Current geomagnetic activity (Kp 1.3, quiet) is not strong enough to bring the aurora to your latitude.
- Weather
- No significant rain, wind or temperature extremes are expected overnight.
Tonight is not a strong night for stargazing -- check back tomorrow.
Astronomy near Belfast
Real great-circle distances from Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.
- Galloway Forest Dark Sky Park — dark-sky place, 110 km away, 250 m
Best nights this month in Belfast
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 Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom. 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 Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.
- 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.
Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom stargazing questions
- What can I see in the sky tonight from Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom?
- Tonight from Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom expect a waning crescent Moon at 14% illumination, with these naked-eye planets above the horizon after dark: Mars, Jupiter, Saturn. The night offers about 10.8 hours of true astronomical darkness.
- What planets are visible tonight in Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom?
- Tonight in Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn are visible to the naked eye after dark, based on this location's real ephemeris for tonight.
- When does darkness start tonight in Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom?
- Astronomical darkness begins at 6:42 PM local time in Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom 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 Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom?
- Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom is far enough from the pole that aurora only reaches overhead during a major geomagnetic storm — specifically when the planetary Kp index reaches about 4, a level reached only a handful of times per solar cycle.
- What is the stargazing light pollution level in Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom?
- Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom is a mid-sized urban area — typically Bortle class 5–6 (bright suburban sky), where major constellations are workable but the Milky Way is washed out. These are typical ranges for this population size, not a measured reading for this exact spot — use tonight's Moon phase and the best-nights list above to time a visit away from direct lighting.
- Where is the nearest dark-sky site to Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom?
- Galloway Forest Dark Sky Park lies about 110 km away. Distances are real great-circle distances from Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom's coordinates.
- When is the best time to stargaze near Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom?
- Combine two things this page computes: the astronomical darkness window (dusk to dawn), and the Moon. Nights within a few days of New Moon inside that window are the ones worth travelling for; the "best nights" section lists the next ones.
- How dark does it actually get in Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom tonight?
- About 10.8 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 Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.
Sky tonight across United Kingdom
Other cities in United Kingdom with live sky reports.
- Sky tonight in Isle of Arran, Scotland119 km
- Sky tonight in Ayr, Scotland127 km
- Sky tonight in Ardrossan, Scotland137 km
- Sky tonight in Cumnock, Scotland142 km
- Sky tonight in Kilmarnock, Scotland145 km
- Sky tonight in Isle of Bute, Scotland148 km
- Sky tonight in Largs, Scotland149 km
- Sky tonight in Beith, Scotland152 km
Popular astronomy destinations
Aurora hubs, dark-sky sites, and observatory towns.
🛰️ ISS Visibility
No visible ISS passes currently predicted for this location.
☄️ Leonids peaks in 11 days
Up to 15 meteors/hour at peak, radiating from Leo.
Full viewing guide →Related astronomy for Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this just astronomy weather for Belfast?
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 Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.
What are tonight's astronomy viewing conditions for Belfast?
The sky viewing conditions badge above reflects the real astronomy viewing conditions for Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom right now -- cloud cover, darkness, and moon interference combined, not moon phase alone. Good weather for stargazing depends on all of these together.