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Live Sky Report

What Can I See in the Sky Tonight in Lake Placid, NY?

Waning Crescent moon at 13%, Mars shines at magnitude 0.8. Calculated for 44.28°, -73.98° (America/New_York).

Moon
Waning Crescent
13% lit
Sunset
4:40 PM
Dusk 6:18 PM
Dark hours
10.7 h
Dawn 5:00 AM
Aurora
Needs Kp 7.5+
Belt 58°

Visible planets tonight

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

🔭 Tonight's Sky Report

📍 Lake Placid, NY — Thursday, November 5

⭐ StargazingPoor
🌙 MoonWaning Crescent • 13% Illumination
🪐 Visible planetsMars, Jupiter, Saturn
🌠 Meteor activityLeonids in 11 days
🌌 Milky WayVisible after dark, low moonlight
🛰️ ISSISS pass predictions unavailable
🌈 AuroraUnlikely — Quiet (Kp 0.7)
☁️ Cloud cover85%
🌡️ Temperature64°F

Weather observed: 6:00 PM UTC · Space weather observed: 3:00 PM UTC

Tonight's sky above Lake Placid, NY

Lake Placid, NY'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 Lake Placid

Northern mid-latitudes · northern hemisphere

  • The north celestial pole stands 44.3° above the horizon, so stars within 44° of it never set from here.
  • About 84.9% 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 16.7° up, staying low, so a clear southern horizon matters.
Pole altitude
44.3°
Sky reachable
84.9%
Milky Way core
16.7° max
Aurora borealis
Kp 7.5+
PoorSky 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
Cloud cover is the main factor limiting visibility tonight.
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.

Tonight is not a strong night for stargazing -- check back tomorrow.

Best nights this month in Lake Placid

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 Lake Placid, NY. 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 Lake Placid, NY.

  • 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.

Lake Placid, NY stargazing questions

What can I see in the sky tonight from Lake Placid, NY?
Tonight from Lake Placid, NY expect a waning crescent Moon at 13% illumination, with these naked-eye planets above the horizon after dark: Mars, Jupiter, Saturn. The night offers about 10.7 hours of true astronomical darkness.
What planets are visible tonight in Lake Placid, NY?
Tonight in Lake Placid, NY, 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 Lake Placid, NY?
Astronomical darkness begins at 6:18 PM local time in Lake Placid, NY 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 Lake Placid, NY?
Lake Placid, NY is far enough from the pole that aurora only reaches overhead during a major geomagnetic storm — specifically when the planetary Kp index reaches about 7.5, a level reached only a handful of times per solar cycle.
What is the stargazing light pollution level in Lake Placid, NY?
Lake Placid, NY 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 Lake Placid, NY?
Lake Placid, NY 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 Lake Placid, NY?
The core reaches about 16.7° 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 Lake Placid, NY tonight?
About 10.7 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 Lake Placid, NY.

More in NY

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.

🛰️ 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 Lake Placid, NY

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this just astronomy weather for Lake Placid?

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 Lake Placid, NY.

What are tonight's astronomy viewing conditions for Lake Placid?

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