TONIGHT IN RALEIGH, NC · MONDAY, AUGUST 31 · SUNSET 7:43 PM
A great night to spot the Moon.
Climbs highest around 4:23 AM if you're still up.
Tonight's sky in Raleigh is headlined by the Moon: a Great night, with the waning gibbous Moon 83% lit and best around 10:53 PM local time, under 0% forecast cloud cover. Saturn, Mars and more are also up tonight. Every time and percentage here is computed for Raleigh's exact coordinates and tonight's forecast.
See the Moon’s full night →WANING GIBBOUS · 83% LIT · SETS 11:23 AM
best window · waning gibbous, 83% lit
Good night to look: skies look clear, but it sits low; find a spot with an open horizon.
- Clear skies
- Low in the sky (17° up)
- Altitude70° · High in sky
- Moon phase83% lit · waning gibbous
- Cloud cover0% · Clear
- Sky darknessBortle 8 · City sky
What else is up tonight
The nights ahead
≈ marks a lower-confidence forecast; check back closer to the night.
Common questions
When exactly should I look tonight?
The Moon is best around 10:53 PM local time tonight, 83% lit with 0% cloud cover forecast at that hour. It climbs a little higher later, around 4:23 AM.
What else is visible tonight from Raleigh?
Beyond the Moon: Saturn (best 10:53 PM · 19° up in the E), Mars (best 5:43 AM · 39° up in the E), Jupiter (best 6:03 AM · 15° up in the E), Venus (best 7:43 PM · 18° up in the WSW). Times and directions are computed for Raleigh, NC.
Do I need a telescope for tonight's sky?
No. The Moon, the bright planets and ISS passes are all naked-eye objects. Binoculars or a small telescope add detail but are never required.
Will clouds get in the way tonight in Raleigh?
Forecast says 0% cloud cover at the Moon's best time (3% average across the night). A bright Moon also cuts through thin haze with ease.
How dark is Raleigh's night sky?
Raleigh's city-center sky rates about Bortle 8 of 9 (city sky). Bright city sky: expect the Moon, planets, and the brightest stars; faint objects need a trip out of town. The Moon, planets and the ISS shine right through city glow.
How is the verdict calculated?
It fuses computed astronomy (altitude, phase, darkness) with the hour-by-hour cloud forecast for your exact location, weighted so overcast skies can never score a Good.