TONIGHT IN CHICAGO, IL · MONDAY, AUGUST 31 · SUNSET 7:25 PM
A great night to spot the Moon.
Climbs highest around 4:05 AM if you're still up.
Tonight's sky in Chicago is headlined by the Moon: a Great night, with the waning gibbous Moon 83% lit and best around 10:55 PM local time, under 0% forecast cloud cover. Saturn, Venus and more are also up tonight. Every time and percentage here is computed for Chicago's exact coordinates and tonight's forecast.
See the Moon’s full night →WANING GIBBOUS · 83% LIT · SETS 11:15 AM
best window · waning gibbous, 83% lit
Good night to look: skies look clear and it sits high enough for a clean view.
- Clear skies
- Well-placed (22° up)
- Altitude64° · High in sky
- Moon phase83% lit · waning gibbous
- Cloud cover0% · Clear
- 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 10:55 PM local time tonight, 83% lit with 0% cloud cover forecast at that hour. It climbs a little higher later, around 4:05 AM.
What else is visible tonight from Chicago?
Beyond the Moon: Saturn (best 10:55 PM · 23° up in the ESE), Venus (best 7:25 PM · 14° up in the WSW), Mars (best 5:05 AM · 37° up in the E), Jupiter (best 5:45 AM · 17° up in the E). Times and directions are computed for Chicago, IL.
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 Chicago?
Forecast says 0% cloud cover at the Moon's best time (52% average across the night). A bright Moon also cuts through thin haze with ease.
How dark is Chicago's night sky?
Chicago'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.