Stargazing in Arkansas

True astronomical darkness runs from 1:08 AM to 10:45 AM (9.6 hours) at Arkansas's central latitude — this is the real window when the sky is darkest.

Cloud cover decides whether you can see anything at all, so check a local forecast before you go. In Arkansas, skies are usually clearest after a cold front passes, and higher, drier sites tend to beat valleys and coasts. Hourly cloud outlook →

The Moon is Waning Crescent at 9% illumination. Moonlight shouldn't significantly interfere with deep-sky observing tonight. Full Moon details →

• Jupiter — visible in Leo, toward the East (up to 32° altitude).
• Saturn — visible in Cetus, toward the South (up to 57° altitude).
• Mars — visible in Cancer, toward the East (up to 46° altitude).

Draconids is active tonight. A minor, unpredictable shower best watched right after nightfall, unlike most showers which peak before dawn. Full calendar →

Next visible pass: Invalid Date. Live ISS tracker →

Current planetary Kp is 2.7; Arkansas's central latitude needs roughly Kp 9.0 for aurora to become visible. Aurora is unlikely from most of the state tonight at current activity levels. Full Aurora forecast →

Planetary Kp is 2.7 right now. Full space weather conditions →

Darkness and Moon conditions tonight favor deep-sky and Milky Way viewing, assuming clear skies and distance from city lights. This doesn't account for light pollution at your specific spot — a real light-pollution measurement isn't currently available for this location, so use distance from city lights as a practical guide instead. Check Milky Way visibility →

Moonlight is low tonight, which favours the Milky Way and fainter deep-sky objects. 3 planets are realistically observable. Pick a dark site away from city lights and confirm the local cloud forecast before you go.

Buffalo National River is a certified International Dark Sky Park. Mount Magazine State Park, on the state's highest peak, and the Ouachita National Forest offer high, rural sites.

• Buffalo National River — International Dark Sky Park in the Ozarks.
• Mount Magazine State Park — Arkansas's highest point with broad horizons.
• Ouachita National Forest — Large, lightly populated forest in western Arkansas.

The Ozarks (north), the Arkansas River Valley, the Ouachitas (west), central Little Rock, and the flat Delta in the east.

Little Rock and the fast-growing northwest corridor (Fayetteville to Bentonville) are the brightest areas; the mountains are much darker.

The core is well placed from late spring to early autumn from the Ozarks and Ouachitas.

Mountain sites suit summer and winter showers; valley fog can form on calm nights.

Autumn has the most transparent air; winter is good but colder; summer is humid.

Planets and the Moon are easy from towns statewide.

Aurora is rare this far south and needs an exceptional geomagnetic storm. It usually appears as a faint red or pink glow low in the north, often clearer on camera than to the eye.

River bluffs along the Buffalo make dramatic Milky Way foregrounds.

Major meteor showers (Quadrantids, Lyrids, Perseids, Geminids), Milky Way core season and any eclipses apply here as they do nationally -- dates shift each year, so check the current calendar.

Mountain roads are winding and cell service is spotty -- download maps before you go.