Look Up

Brisbane, Australia

The sky above Brisbane tonight

Tonight Brisbane gets dark around 7:00 PM and light again by 4:01 AM. The moon is 48% lit.

What to look for

  • The space station

    Today, 6:44 PM

    It climbs from the west, crosses low, and sets toward the north.

    Space station·Peaks 17° up · 4 min·4 min

    Seven astronauts, four hundred kilometres up, moving at eight kilometres a second. It looks like a bright star that refuses to twinkle, sliding silently across the sky. Start watching low in the west a minute early; it will climb to low in the northwest, then fade out as it enters Earth's shadow near the north. No telescope, no app pointed at the sky, just look up.

  • Saturn

    Any time it's dark

    Saturn is out, partway up in the northeast. A soft gold; its rings need a small telescope.

    Planet·Magnitude 0.4, sets later

    Find Saturn partway up in the northeast. No telescope needed, just your eyes; planets don't twinkle the way stars do, they hold a steady, unwavering light. The light reaching your eye left Saturn about 71 minutes ago.

  • The moon

    Rises tomorrow, 1:04 AM

    A last quarter, 44% lit.

    Moon·Last quarter, 44%

    It rises later tonight, so the early hours stay dark and clear. That sharp line splitting its light from its dark, the terminator, is where the sun is setting on the moon right now. You're watching a lunar sunset in slow motion.

On the horizon

The Leonids peak

In 14 nights, up to 15 meteors an hour: quick meteors capable of rare, dramatic storms.

All times are local to Brisbane. Last updated at 11:49 AM.

Open the live sky for Brisbane

Live countdowns, a compass showing where to point, and an alert a few minutes before the space station passes over. Free, no signup.

Nearby skies

Meteor showers from Brisbane