Starry sky
Selected place · local time
Checking modelled conditions…
Sky controls and context
Starry sky, planets and constellations for the selected location.
Accessible sky summary
Direction and elevation of the view of the sky.
Notable objects in the sky.
Sky in October 2026
What to look for this month from Czechia. The map above shows the precise sky for tonight and your location.The monthly overview shares the same phases and positions with the everyday reading. The map above shows positions for the selected time and place.
Darkest nights
Around the new moon, moonlight is weakest — the best time for faint stars and the Milky Way. Around the full moon, moonlight outshines faint stars.Phase describes lunar illumination geometry, not weather. Moonlight raises sky brightness when the Moon is above the horizon and reduces the contrast of faint objects.
- Last quarter
- New moon
- First quarter
- Full moon
Planets
Times are in Prague time.
On a clear night they are visible to the naked eye as bright, steady ‘stars’. Calculated for central Czechia (Jihlava). Terrain and nearby lights can limit the view.Planet positions are samples for the listed times and Jihlava, not an all-night visibility forecast. Altitude refers to the geometric horizon without refraction and excludes local terrain and lights.
- EveningSaturn (east, low)
- MorningMars (southeast, high), Jupiter (southeast, high)
Meteor showers
- Orionids, meteor shower (shooting stars):
Calculated 24 October 2026 · Astronomy Engine 2.1.19 · shower dates: sky calendar
How to observe the starry sky from Czechia
Darkness and light pollution
Choose a place away from direct lamp light with an open view. Light pollution makes faint stars harder to find; a star map shows their position, not a guarantee that you will see them.
Let your eyes adapt to darkness
Avoid bright screens and white light. Your eyes need time to adapt to darkness; use dim red light to read a chart outdoors.
Constellations through the seasons
Evening constellations change through the year. Look up star positions for your chosen time and location, rather than using one picture for the whole year.
Guide sources: NASA — choosing a site, NASA — dark adaptation, NASA — constellations through the year.
What affects visibility of sky phenomena
Phases change the lit portion of the disk
Lunar phases arise as our view of the Moon's sunlit half changes. Near new moon, moonlight interferes less with faint objects, but the Moon's altitude also matters.
Elongation and opposition help choose a time
Elongation is a planet's angular separation from the Sun in the sky. At opposition an outer planet lies opposite the Sun, allowing night-time observation when the horizon and weather permit.
Magnitude describes brightness, not guaranteed visibility
Apparent magnitude describes an object's brightness for an observer. A lower value means a brighter object, but sky brightness and atmospheric transparency also affect visibility.
The radiant gives a direction, ZHR compares activity
A meteor shower occurs when Earth passes through a meteoroid stream. The radiant is the direction from which their paths appear to diverge, not where all meteors will be seen.
ZHR is not a meteor count for your site
ZHR is the zenithal hourly rate referenced to a radiant at the zenith, an unobstructed view and a stellar limiting magnitude of +6.5. A lower radiant, moonlight, clouds and light pollution reduce observed counts.
Occultations and eclipses have different geometry
In an occultation, a nearer body passes in front of and hides a more distant one. In a lunar eclipse the Moon passes through Earth's shadow, while in a solar eclipse it covers the Sun's disk for part of Earth.
Altitude and azimuth belong to a place and time
Altitude alt is the angle above the geometric horizon, while azimuth az gives the direction from north through east. Refraction changes apparent altitude, especially near the horizon, and depends on the atmosphere. The map does not replace a view past real terrain.
NASA/JPL · alt/az and refraction
Astronomical twilight has a geometric boundary
Evening astronomical twilight ends and morning astronomical twilight begins when the Sun's centre is geometrically 18° below the horizon. Astronomical night alone does not guarantee a dark sky free of moonlight, clouds or light pollution.
Choose constellations for the selected time
Earth's rotation changes the direction of stars during the night. Its orbit around the Sun changes the sky available in the evening through the year, so the map needs a place and time.
Bortle describes sky conditions
Light pollution brightens the background and reduces the contrast of faint objects. The Bortle scale describes night-sky conditions, but this map does not determine your site's Bortle class. Protect dark adaptation from bright screens and direct light.