What can I see in the sky tonight from Welkom, Free State, South Africa?

Tonight from Welkom, Free State, South Africa expect a waning crescent Moon at 13% illumination, with these naked-eye planets above the horizon after dark: Saturn, Mars, Jupiter. The night offers about 7.9 hours of true astronomical darkness.

What planets are visible tonight in Welkom, Free State, South Africa?

Tonight in Welkom, Free State, South Africa, Saturn, Mars, Jupiter are visible to the naked eye after dark, based on this location's real ephemeris for tonight.

When does darkness start tonight in Welkom, Free State, South Africa?

Astronomical darkness begins at 8:00 PM local time in Welkom, Free State, South Africa 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 Welkom, Free State, South Africa?

Welkom, Free State, South Africa 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 Welkom, Free State, South Africa?

Welkom, Free State, South Africa 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.

Does Welkom, Free State, South Africa's elevation help stargazing?

At 1376 m you are above a meaningful fraction of the atmosphere, which reduces extinction and scintillation — the reason major observatories are sited high.

What should I plan for observing near Welkom, Free State, South Africa?

High sites reward targets that suffer most from atmosphere: planets at high altitude, faint nebulae, and the Milky Way, which culminates around 89° here. Cold and thinner air are the practical constraints, not the sky.

How dark does it actually get in Welkom, Free State, South Africa tonight?

About 7.9 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.

Live Sky Report

What Can I See in the Sky Tonight in Welkom, Free State, South Africa?

Waning Crescent moon at 13%, Saturn shines at magnitude 0.4. Calculated for -27.98°, 26.74° (Africa/Johannesburg).

Moon

Waning Crescent

13% lit

Sunset

6:35 PM

Dusk 8:00 PM

Dark hours

7.9 h

Dawn 3:52 AM

Aurora

Needs Kp 9+

Belt 58°

Visible planets tonight

Saturn, Mars, Jupiter — brightest: Saturn at mag 0.4 in Cetus

🔭 Tonight's Sky Report

📍 Welkom, Free State, South Africa — Thursday, November 5

Live cloud cover, temperature, ISS passes and aurora odds load in your browser and need JavaScript. The moon, planet and meteor rows below are calculated without it.

⭐ StargazingFair

🌙 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 cover64%

🌡️ Temperature78°F

Weather observed: 4:00 PM UTC · Space weather observed: 12:00 PM UTC

Tonight's sky above Welkom, Free State, South Africa

Welkom, Free State, South Africa'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 Welkom

Southern mid-latitudes · southern hemisphere · 1376 m elevation

The south celestial pole stands 28° above the horizon, so stars within 28° of it never set from here.
About 73.5% 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 89° up, passing almost directly overhead.
The Large and Small Magellanic Clouds are circumpolar here — visible on any clear, dark night of the year.
At 1376 m elevation, roughly 15% of the atmosphere's mass is already below you, which measurably reduces extinction near the horizon.

Pole altitude

28°

Sky reachable

73.5%

Milky Way core

89° max

Aurora australis

Kp 9+

Welkom is a mid-sized urban area — bright constellations and planets work from town; faint deep-sky objects need a drive out.

GoodSky Viewing Conditions tonight

What does this mean for you?

Your Sky Briefing

Right now: The sky is transitioning toward darkness.
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.

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

What is a geomagnetic storm?How do auroras form?

Best nights this month in Welkom

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

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 Welkom, Free State, South Africa.
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.

Welkom, Free State, South Africa stargazing questions

What can I see in the sky tonight from Welkom, Free State, South Africa?: Tonight from Welkom, Free State, South Africa expect a waning crescent Moon at 13% illumination, with these naked-eye planets above the horizon after dark: Saturn, Mars, Jupiter. The night offers about 7.9 hours of true astronomical darkness.
What planets are visible tonight in Welkom, Free State, South Africa?: Tonight in Welkom, Free State, South Africa, Saturn, Mars, Jupiter are visible to the naked eye after dark, based on this location's real ephemeris for tonight.
When does darkness start tonight in Welkom, Free State, South Africa?: Astronomical darkness begins at 8:00 PM local time in Welkom, Free State, South Africa 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 Welkom, Free State, South Africa?: Welkom, Free State, South Africa 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 Welkom, Free State, South Africa?: Welkom, Free State, South Africa 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.
Does Welkom, Free State, South Africa's elevation help stargazing?: At 1376 m you are above a meaningful fraction of the atmosphere, which reduces extinction and scintillation — the reason major observatories are sited high.
What should I plan for observing near Welkom, Free State, South Africa?: High sites reward targets that suffer most from atmosphere: planets at high altitude, faint nebulae, and the Milky Way, which culminates around 89° here. Cold and thinner air are the practical constraints, not the sky.
How dark does it actually get in Welkom, Free State, South Africa tonight?: About 7.9 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 Welkom, Free State, South Africa.

More in Free State

Other sky reports in the same region.

Sky tonight across South Africa

Other cities in South Africa 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 Welkom, Free State, South Africa

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this just astronomy weather for Welkom?

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 Welkom, Free State, South Africa.

What are tonight's astronomy viewing conditions for Welkom?

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