Night sky tonight in Sydney, New South Wales
Friday, October 30, 2026 · local time (Australia/Sydney)
Fully dark from 8:52 PM to 4:25 AM.
Planets visible tonight
| Mercury | 7:47 PM – 8:18 PM |
|---|---|
| Venus | 5:06 AM – 5:30 AM |
| Mars | 2:27 AM – 5:30 AM |
| Jupiter | 2:42 AM – 5:30 AM |
| Saturn | 7:47 PM – 4:57 AM |
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
Very high artificial light in central Sydney: 76.8 nW/cm²/sr, brighter than 57% of the cities we cover.
Nearest dark area: about 62 km north of the city centre, about 36 km from Umina Beach (-33.342°, 150.992°). The ground there gives off almost no artificial light, and nor do its surroundings, so the night sky is far darker than in Sydney.
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
| Date | Appears | Visible for | Max height | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, Oct 30 | 8:27 PM | 5 min | 21° | west → north |
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
| Shower | Peak | Rate/hr* | Active | Conditions here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Taurids | Fri, Nov 6, 2026 | 7 | Sep 20 – Nov 20 | Dark moon (12%): good conditions |
| Northern Taurids | Fri, Nov 13, 2026 | 5 | Oct 20 – Dec 10 | Dark moon (11%): good conditions |
| Leonids | Wed, Nov 18, 2026 | 15 | Nov 6 – Nov 30 | Moon 55% lit |
| Geminids | Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 150 | Dec 4 – Dec 20 | Dark moon (25%): good conditions |
| Ursids | Wed, Dec 23, 2026 | 10 | Dec 17 – Dec 26 | Radiant barely rises here: few meteors |
| Quadrantids | Mon, Jan 4, 2027 | 80 | Dec 28 – Jan 12 | Radiant barely rises here: few meteors |
| Lyrids | Fri, Apr 23, 2027 | 18 | Apr 14 – Apr 30 | Bright moon (95%) washes out faint meteors |
| Eta Aquariids | Fri, May 7, 2027 | 50 | Apr 19 – May 28 | Dark 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 Sydney
- Penumbral lunar eclipse — Mon, Jul 19, 2027, maximum at 2:03 AM (Moon 61° above the horizon)