Horizon Hour

Night sky tonight in Honolulu, Hawaii

Thursday, October 29, 2026 · local time (Pacific/Honolulu)

Astronomical dusk7:12 PM
Astronomical dawn5:18 AM
Moon🌖 81%Waning Gibbous
Moonrise · set9:25 PM · 10:30 AM

Fully dark from 7:12 PM to 5:18 AM.

Planets visible tonight

Venus5:50 AM – 6:11 AMeastbrilliant (mag -4.2)
Mars12:50 AM – 6:11 AMeastbright (mag 0.9)
Jupiter1:18 AM – 6:11 AMeastvery bright (mag -2)
Saturn6:20 PM – 4:39 AMeastbright (mag 0.4)

Times run from dusk (or when the planet rises) until it sets or dawn breaks. Direction is where to look when it first appears.

Light pollution

High artificial light in central Honolulu: 56.2 nW/cm²/sr, brighter than 34% of the cities we cover.

Nearest dark area: about 63 km east of the city centre, about 47 km from Hawai‘i Kai (21.142°, -157.275°). The ground there gives off almost no artificial light, and nor do its surroundings, so the night sky is far darker than in Honolulu.

Measured from space: NASA Black Marble VNP46A4 2025 annual composite (snow-free), NASA. This is light emitted upward from the ground at night, not a direct reading of sky brightness. A “dark area” here means a spot below 0.3 nW/cm²/sr whose surroundings, out to about 41 km, average below 0.5.

International Space Station passes

DateAppearsVisible forMax heightDirection
Mon, Nov 25:39 AM3 min12°northeast → northeast
Wed, Nov 45:39 AM6 min42°northwest → southeast
Thu, Nov 54:54 AM3 min21°northeast → east
Fri, Nov 65:42 AM5 min35°west → south
Fri, Nov 67:03 PM2 min42°south → southeast
Sat, Nov 74:57 AM2 min34°southeast → southeast
Sat, Nov 76:18 PM2 min20°southeast → east
Sat, Nov 77:52 PM2 min16°west → west

Visible passes at least 10° above the horizon, from today’s orbital elements (CelesTrak). Max height 90° is straight overhead. The station looks like a bright, steady, fast-moving star; times can shift by a minute or two as its orbit is adjusted.

Upcoming meteor showers

ShowerPeakRate/hr*ActiveConditions here
Southern TauridsThu, Nov 5, 20267Sep 20 – Nov 20Dark moon (12%): good conditions
Northern TauridsThu, Nov 12, 20265Oct 20 – Dec 10Dark moon (11%): good conditions
LeonidsTue, Nov 17, 202615Nov 6 – Nov 30Moon 55% lit
GeminidsMon, Dec 14, 2026150Dec 4 – Dec 20Dark moon (25%): good conditions
UrsidsTue, Dec 22, 202610Dec 17 – Dec 26Bright moon (98%) washes out faint meteors
QuadrantidsSun, Jan 3, 202780Dec 28 – Jan 12Dark moon (12%): good conditions
LyridsThu, Apr 22, 202718Apr 14 – Apr 30Bright moon (95%) washes out faint meteors
Eta AquariidsThu, May 6, 202750Apr 19 – May 28Dark moon (0%): good conditions

*Zenithal hourly rate: meteors per hour under a perfectly dark sky with the radiant overhead; expect fewer. Peak dates and rates from the International Meteor Organization working list.

Eclipses visible from Honolulu