TONIGHT IN DES MOINES, IA · FRIDAY, JULY 10 · SUNSET 8:49 PM
Up before dawn — the Moon's a small-hours sight tonight.
Only really up after midnight — highest around 5:49 AM.
Tonight's sky in Des Moines favors early risers: the waning crescent Moon, 13% lit, is only really up in the small hours, highest around 5:49 AM, under 54% forecast cloud cover. Venus, Saturn and more are also up tonight. Every time and percentage here is computed for Des Moines's exact coordinates and tonight's forecast.
See the Moon’s full night →WANING CRESCENT · 13% LIT · SETS 5:22 PM
best window · waning crescent, 13% lit
Only really up in the small hours tonight — the Moon is highest around 5:49 AM, past a family-friendly bedtime. Worth a look if you're already awake.
- Partly cloudy (54%)
- Well-placed (33° up)
- Best after twilight ends
- Altitude33° · Mid sky
- Moon phase13% lit · waning crescent
- Cloud cover54% · Partly cloudy
- Sky darknessBortle 7 · Suburban–urban transition
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?
Tonight the Moon is only really up in the small hours — it climbs highest around 5:49 AM local time, 13% lit with 54% cloud cover forecast at that hour.
What else is visible tonight from Des Moines?
Beyond the Moon: Venus (best 8:49 PM · 24° up in the W), Saturn (best 4:49 AM · 43° up in the SE), Mars (best 4:29 AM · 15° up in the ENE), Jupiter (best 9:19 PM · 3° up in the WNW). Times and directions are computed for Des Moines, IA.
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 Des Moines?
Forecast says 54% cloud cover at the Moon's best time (100% average across the night). Look for gaps — objects reappear the moment the cloud breaks.
How dark is Des Moines's night sky?
Des Moines's city-center sky rates about Bortle 7 of 9 (suburban–urban transition). Edge-of-city sky — the brightest constellations still stand out, and darker skies are a short drive away. 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.