TONIGHT IN SACRAMENTO, CA · MONDAY, AUGUST 31 · SUNSET 7:37 PM
A good night to spot the Moon.
Climbs highest around 4:17 AM if you're still up.
Tonight's sky in Sacramento is headlined by the Moon: a Good night, with the waning gibbous Moon 82% lit and best around 10:57 PM local time, under 26% forecast cloud cover. Saturn, Mars and more are also up tonight. Every time and percentage here is computed for Sacramento's exact coordinates and tonight's forecast.
See the Moon’s full night →WANING GIBBOUS · 82% LIT · SETS 11:29 AM
best window · waning gibbous, 82% lit
Good night to look: skies are partly cloudy, but it sits low; find a spot with an open horizon.
- Partly cloudy (26%)
- Low in the sky (19° up)
- Altitude68° · High in sky
- Moon phase82% lit · waning gibbous
- Cloud cover26% · Partly cloudy
- 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 10:57 PM local time tonight, 82% lit with 26% cloud cover forecast at that hour. It climbs a little higher later, around 4:17 AM.
What else is visible tonight from Sacramento?
Beyond the Moon: Saturn (best 10:57 PM · 21° up in the ESE), Mars (best 5:37 AM · 40° up in the E), Jupiter (best 5:57 AM · 16° up in the E), Venus (best 7:37 PM · 16° up in the WSW). Times and directions are computed for Sacramento, CA.
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 Sacramento?
Forecast says 26% cloud cover at the Moon's best time (40% average across the night). Look for gaps: objects reappear the moment the cloud breaks.
How dark is Sacramento's night sky?
Sacramento'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.