TONIGHT IN WASHINGTON, DC · WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2 · SUNSET 7:36 PM
A fair night to catch the Moon.
Tonight's sky in Washington is headlined by the Moon: a Fair night, with the last quarter Moon 64% lit and best around 10:56 PM local time, under 27% forecast cloud cover. Saturn, Mars and more are also up tonight. Every time and percentage here is computed for Washington's exact coordinates and tonight's forecast.
See the Moon’s full night →LAST QUARTER · 64% LIT · SETS 12:36 PM
best window · last quarter, 64% lit
Doable, but not ideal: skies are partly cloudy and it sits low in the sky.
- Partly cloudy (27%)
- Low in the sky (6° up)
- Altitude76° · High in sky
- Moon phase64% lit · last quarter
- Cloud cover27% · Partly cloudy
- Sky darknessBortle 9 · Inner-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 10:56 PM local time tonight, 64% lit with 27% cloud cover forecast at that hour.
What else is visible tonight from Washington?
Beyond the Moon: Saturn (best 10:56 PM · 22° up in the ESE), Mars (best 5:36 AM · 40° up in the E), ISS pass (3:44 AM · N→NE · 13° max), Jupiter (best 5:56 AM · 17° up in the E), Venus (best 7:36 PM · 15° up in the WSW). Times and directions are computed for Washington, DC.
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 Washington?
Forecast says 27% cloud cover at the Moon's best time (37% average across the night). Look for gaps: objects reappear the moment the cloud breaks.
How dark is Washington's night sky?
Washington's city-center sky rates about Bortle 9 of 9 (inner-city sky). Bright inner-city sky: expect only the Moon, planets, and a handful of the very brightest stars. 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.