Milky Way Tonight in San Francisco
Tonight's verdict for San Francisco, California, United States — cloud cover, moonlight, sky darkness and the exact window when the galactic core is high enough to see.
San FranciscoCalifornia, United States
GO TONIGHT
The sky looks favorable for Milky Way viewing.
Best window 15:50–20:30 local time
- Clouds
- 1%Very clear
- Moonlight
- Moderate36% lit
- Darkness
- ExcellentBortle 3
- Weather
- Clear skiesDry · 20°C
The night, hour by hour
The Milky Way climbs highest close to 6:00 PM — up to 23°.
Next seven nights
Tonight looks like the best night of the week here. Tap a night to redraw everything above.
Why this reading
- Almost no clouds are forecast.
- The Moon stays out of the way during the viewing window.
- The sky here is dark enough to see the Milky Way clearly.
- The Milky Way is only briefly visible tonight.
Almanac
| Sunset | 18:50 | |
|---|---|---|
| Darkness begins | 20:15 | astronomical twilight ends |
| Best viewing window | 15:50–20:30 | 0.8 h of usable core |
| Galactic core | peaks 23° above the horizon | usable from 15:50 local |
| Moon | 36% · waning crescent | up from 00:20 to 15:50 |
| Sky darkness | Bortle 3 | Rural sky |
| Darkness ends | 05:45 | |
| Sunrise | 07:10 |
Getting somewhere darker
Bortle 1 — unnamed darker area 20 km W of you · you are Bortle 3
Nearest darker sky: Bortle 1, 20 km W.
Weather updated 12:05 local. Calculated 12:05 local time · San Francisco, California, United States
Representative night-sky photograph — not taken at this location.
Milky Way viewing guidance for San Francisco
Milky Way visibility questions
Can I see the Milky Way tonight in San Francisco?
Yes — conditions in San Francisco line up tonight. Conditions suggest a good night: clouds look light, the Moon is bright, and your darkest available sky is Bortle 3. Your best chance is during the dark window above. The best viewing window is 15:50–20:30 local time.
What time is the Milky Way visible in San Francisco tonight?
The usable window — galactic core above 15° altitude during darkness, with the Moon not washing it out — runs 15:50–20:30 local time. Outside that window the core is either too low or the sky is too bright.
What are the cloud and Moon conditions in San Francisco tonight?
Cloud cover in the viewing window averages 1%, and the Moon is 36% illuminated, mostly below the horizon during your window.
How dark is the sky in San Francisco?
San Francisco is in a Bortle 3 area (Rural sky). A darker option — Bortle 1 — is about 20 km W.