Skip to main content

Live Sky Report

What Can I See in the Sky Tonight in Limerick, Munster, Ireland?

Waxing Crescent moon at 18%, Mars shines at magnitude 1.0. Calculated for 52.66°, -8.62° (Europe/Dublin).

Moon
Waxing Crescent
18% lit
Sunset
6:39 PM
Dusk 8:33 PM
Dark hours
9.6 h
Dawn 6:07 AM
Aurora
Needs Kp 4.7+
Belt 58°

Visible planets tonight

Mars, Jupiter, Saturn — brightest: Mars at mag 1.0 in Cancer

🔭 Tonight's Sky Report

📍 Limerick, Munster, Ireland — Thursday, October 15

⭐ StargazingGood
🌙 MoonWaxing Crescent • 18% Illumination
🪐 Visible planetsMars, Jupiter, Saturn
🌠 Meteor activityOrionids in 6 days
🌌 Milky WayVisible after dark, low moonlight
🛰️ ISSNext pass ~Oct 15, 7:01 AM GMT+1
🌈 AuroraUnlikely — Quiet (Kp 2.7)
☁️ Cloud cover24%
🌡️ Temperature60°F

Weather observed: 12:00 AM UTC · Space weather observed: 9:00 PM UTC

Tonight's sky above Limerick, Munster, Ireland

Limerick, Munster, Ireland'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 Limerick

Northern mid-latitudes · northern hemisphere · 7 m elevation

  • The north celestial pole stands 52.7° above the horizon, so stars within 53° of it never set from here.
  • About 89.8% 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 8.3° 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.
Pole altitude
52.7°
Sky reachable
89.8%
Milky Way core
8.3° max
Aurora borealis
Kp 4.7+

Limerick is a town-scale settlement, so the edge of the built-up area is often dark enough for the Milky Way on moonless nights.

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 2.7, quiet) is not strong enough to bring the aurora to your latitude.
Weather
Winds around 34 km/h are expected overnight.

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

Astronomy near Limerick

Real great-circle distances from Limerick, Munster, Ireland.

  • Kerry International Dark-Sky Reserve — dark-sky place, 135 km away, 50 m

Best nights this month in Limerick

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

  • 2026-10-21 — Orionids peak — up to 20/hour

    Radiant in Orion. Visible from both hemispheres. The Moon is 72% lit on peak night, so lunar interference is moderate.

  • 2026-10-26 — 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.

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

    Radiant in Taurus. Favours the Northern Hemisphere, which includes Limerick, Munster, Ireland. 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 Limerick, Munster, Ireland.

Limerick, Munster, Ireland stargazing questions

What can I see in the sky tonight from Limerick, Munster, Ireland?
Tonight from Limerick, Munster, Ireland expect a waxing crescent Moon at 18% illumination, with these naked-eye planets above the horizon after dark: Mars, Jupiter, Saturn. The night offers about 9.6 hours of true astronomical darkness.
What planets are visible tonight in Limerick, Munster, Ireland?
Tonight in Limerick, Munster, Ireland, 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 Limerick, Munster, Ireland?
Astronomical darkness begins at 8:33 PM local time in Limerick, Munster, Ireland 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 Limerick, Munster, Ireland?
Limerick, Munster, Ireland is far enough from the pole that aurora only reaches overhead during a major geomagnetic storm — specifically when the planetary Kp index reaches about 4.7, a level reached only a handful of times per solar cycle.
What is the stargazing light pollution level in Limerick, Munster, Ireland?
Limerick, Munster, Ireland is a small city — typically Bortle class 4–5 (rural/suburban transition), where the Milky Way core can be glimpsed on clear, moonless nights. 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 Limerick, Munster, Ireland?
Kerry International Dark-Sky Reserve lies about 135 km away. Distances are real great-circle distances from Limerick, Munster, Ireland's coordinates.
When is the best time to stargaze near Limerick, Munster, Ireland?
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 Limerick, Munster, Ireland tonight?
About 9.6 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 Limerick, Munster, Ireland.

More in Munster

Other sky reports in the same region.

Sky tonight across Ireland

Other cities in Ireland with live sky reports.

Popular astronomy destinations

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

🛰️ ISS Visibility

Next visible pass rises at 6:01 AM, lasting about 4 minutes.

4 more visible passes predicted in this window.

☄️ Orionids peaks in 6 days

Up to 20 meteors/hour at peak, radiating from Orion.

Full viewing guide →

Related astronomy for Limerick, Munster, Ireland

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this just astronomy weather for Limerick?

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 Limerick, Munster, Ireland.

What are tonight's astronomy viewing conditions for Limerick?

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