What's in the night sky tonight over Belfast?
Belfast sky tonight: October–December 2026
| Month | Evening planets | Before dawn | Brightest after dark | Fully dark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| mid-October · 9:00 pm | Saturn (SE) | Mars (rises 12:37 am), Jupiter (rises 1:52 am) | Vega (W), Capella (NE), Saturn (SE, planet) | 8:24 pm |
| mid-November · 9:00 pm | Saturn (S) | Mercury (rises 5:59 am), Venus (rises 4:59 am), Mars (rises 11:06 pm), Jupiter (rises 11:13 pm) | Vega (W), Capella (E), Saturn (S, planet) | 6:28 pm |
| mid-December · 9:00 pm | Saturn (SW) | Venus (rises 4:17 am), Mars (rises 10:12 pm), Jupiter (rises 9:21 pm) | Vega (NW), Capella (E), Rigel (SE) | 6:13 pm |
From Belfast in mid-October: Saturn is in the southeast at 9:00 pm, 22° up (about 2 fists above the horizon). It sets around 6:40 am. Later, Mars rises around 12:37 am and Jupiter rises around 1:52 am. Venus joins the dawn sky in November. Brightest after dark: Vega, Capella and Saturn. Fully dark from 8:24 pm. Full Moons: October 26, November 24 and December 24.
Full Moon: October 26 (4:12 am), November 24 (2:54 pm), December 24 (1:28 am). New Moon (darkest skies): October 10, November 9, December 9. For tonight to the minute, use the live chart just below.
- Make tonight's sky a gift. Preview the free star map of a night in Belfast
- Or name a star in Cygnus, high over Belfast on October evenings: a symbolic dedication with a PDF certificate. Choose a star in Cygnus
Use the free local tool
This page provides a result prefilled with the place and coordinates. The calculations and phone gyroscope work without an order; the HD poster remains optional. See tonight's sky over Belfast
The planets, bright stars and dark hours of October–December 2026, plus a live chart for tonight
The season table answers for October–December 2026 in Belfast's own clock time; the live chart recomputes tonight's Moon, planets and constellations for the city or for your exact location. Both are free and need no sign-up.
Why choose Starry Memory
- Answer first, computed for the city — The season table is calculated for Belfast's own sky and clock, month by month, rather than copied from a national guide.
- Live for tonight — The chart below recomputes the Moon, planets and constellations for tonight and for your exact location if you allow it.
- Planets and bright stars named — Each month lists which planets are up in the evening, which rise before dawn, and the brightest points you are likely to notice.
- Honest limits — Weather, light pollution and a low horizon are stated, not hidden: a planet above the horizon can still be lost behind cloud or buildings.
The sky over Belfast changes through the night and through the season. This guide gives the answer for October–December 2026 first; the live chart then shows tonight exactly.
Planets from Belfast, month by month
In mid-October: Mars rises around 12:37 am and stands 49° high in the southeast an hour before sunrise; Jupiter rises around 1:52 am and stands 41° high in the southeast an hour before sunrise; Saturn is 22° up in the southeast at 9:00 pm and sets around 6:40 am. Mercury and Venus are not visible. In mid-November: Mercury rises around 5:59 am and stands 7° high in the southeast an hour before sunrise; Venus rises around 4:59 am and stands 14° high in the southeast an hour before sunrise; Mars rises around 11:06 pm and stands 50° high in the south an hour before sunrise; Jupiter rises around 11:13 pm and stands 49° high in the south an hour before sunrise; Saturn is 36° up in the south at 9:00 pm and sets around 3:27 am. In mid-December: Venus rises around 4:17 am and stands 21° high in the southeast an hour before sunrise; Mars rises around 10:12 pm and stands 39° high in the southwest an hour before sunrise; Jupiter rises around 9:21 pm and stands 36° high in the southwest an hour before sunrise; Saturn is 32° up in the southwest at 9:00 pm and sets around 1:26 am. Mercury is not visible.
The brightest lights after dark
The brightest points above Belfast on evenings of the season, with their height above the horizon: mid-October at 9:00 pm: Vega, 60° in the west; Capella, 22° in the northeast; Saturn (planet), 22° in the southeast; Altair, 42° in the southwest. mid-November at 9:00 pm: Vega, 34° in the west; Capella, 43° in the east; Saturn (planet), 36° in the south; Altair, 21° in the west. mid-December at 9:00 pm: Vega, 19° in the northwest; Capella, 60° in the east; Rigel, 17° in the southeast; Betelgeuse, 26° in the southeast. Stars twinkle more than planets, especially near the horizon.
Moon phases in Belfast time
Full Moon: October 26 (4:12 am), November 24 (2:54 pm), December 24 (1:28 am). New Moon: October 10 (4:50 pm), November 9 (7:02 am), December 9 (12:52 am). Around full Moon the sky is bright and only planets and the brightest stars stand out; around new Moon, faint stars and the Milky Way reappear away from city lights.
When is it dark in Belfast?
On the 15th of each month, full darkness starts at 8:24 pm in mid-October, 6:28 pm in mid-November, 6:13 pm in mid-December. Sunrise comes at 7:54 am in mid-October, 7:55 am in mid-November, 8:40 am in mid-December. From Belfast's northern-hemisphere latitude (54.6°), the nights lengthen towards the December solstice.
Constellations to look for this season
High overhead in mid-October: Cygnus, Cepheus, Cassiopeia, Draco, Lyra, Pegasus and Ursa Minor. Rising in the east: Perseus, Pisces, Aries and Auriga. By mid-December: Cassiopeia, Perseus, Andromeda, Cepheus, Aries and Auriga overhead, with Gemini, Ursa Major, Orion and Canis Minor rising. Never setting from Belfast: Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Cassiopeia, Cygnus, Perseus, Cepheus, Draco and Auriga.
Near Belfast
From Glasgow, 176 km away, full darkness in mid-October begins 5 minutes earlier; the same planets and constellations apply, so this guide also works there. Other nearby guides: Preston (229 km), Edinburgh (229 km).
Eclipses in the region
Eclipses listed for the wider region: 20 February 2027: Penumbral lunar eclipse, 23:14 UTC; 2 August 2027: Total solar eclipse, 10:07 UTC; 12 January 2028: Partial lunar eclipse, 04:14 UTC; 26 January 2028: Annular solar eclipse, 15:08 UTC; 6 July 2028: Partial lunar eclipse, 18:20 UTC; 31 December 2028: Total lunar eclipse, 16:53 UTC. A regional match is not a guarantee: solar-eclipse paths are narrow and a lunar eclipse needs the Moon above your horizon. Check the NASA map for each event and never look at the Sun without certified eclipse glasses.
How the times are calculated
Times are local clock times (daylight saving included) for the centre of Belfast, computed on September 26, 2026 with Astronomy Engine for the 15th of each month. “Evening” means 9 pm, or the end of nautical twilight when it is later; “before dawn” means one hour before sunrise; “full darkness” is the end of astronomical twilight. A flat horizon is assumed: hills, buildings, cloud and light pollution can hide low objects. The live chart at the top of the page recomputes tonight for your exact location.
Make tonight's sky over Belfast a gift
A night under the Belfast sky can become a present. The free star map draws the sky of any date and place at 10 pm (the time is set in the poster creator): check the preview before choosing the HD file or a print. To give a star instead, the certificate is a symbolic dedication in a private registry, with a two-page PDF; you can pick one in Cygnus, high over Belfast in mid-October. Whether a star shows to the naked eye depends on its brightness, the hour and your sky.
Frequently asked questions
What is the bright star in the sky tonight in Belfast?
In mid-October at 9:00 pm, the brightest points above Belfast are Vega (west, 60° up), Capella (northeast, 22° up), Saturn (southeast, 22° up, a planet), Altair (southwest, 42° up). A bright point that barely twinkles is usually a planet: Saturn is the likeliest bright "star" of the evening. For tonight's exact positions, use the live chart on this page.
Which planets can I see tonight from Belfast?
In mid-October: Mars rises around 12:37 am and stands 49° high in the southeast an hour before sunrise; Jupiter rises around 1:52 am and stands 41° high in the southeast an hour before sunrise; Saturn is 22° up in the southeast at 9:00 pm and sets around 6:40 am. Mercury and Venus are not visible. In mid-November: Mercury rises around 5:59 am and stands 7° high in the southeast an hour before sunrise; Venus rises around 4:59 am and stands 14° high in the southeast an hour before sunrise; Mars rises around 11:06 pm and stands 50° high in the south an hour before sunrise; Jupiter rises around 11:13 pm and stands 49° high in the south an hour before sunrise; Saturn is 36° up in the south at 9:00 pm and sets around 3:27 am.
When is it fully dark in Belfast tonight?
Full darkness (the end of astronomical twilight) begins around 8:24 pm in mid-October, 6:28 pm in mid-November, 6:13 pm in mid-December. Bright planets and stars appear earlier, about half an hour after sunset.
When is the next full moon in Belfast?
In Belfast time, the full Moons of the season fall on October 26 (4:12 am), November 24 (2:54 pm), December 24 (1:28 am). The darkest skies, best for faint stars and the Milky Way, are around the new Moons of October 10, November 9, December 9.
Do I need a telescope?
No. Planets and the brightest stars are easy to see with the naked eye once your eyes adapt for 15 to 20 minutes away from direct lights. Binoculars show Jupiter's moons; a small telescope shows Saturn's rings.
Why does the sky change during the year?
The stars rise about four minutes earlier each night, so the evening sky shifts by about two hours a month as the Earth orbits the Sun. From Belfast, Cygnus and Cepheus are overhead in mid-October; by mid-December, Perseus and Andromeda have taken over and Gemini is rising in the east. The planets also move against the stars from week to week.
See tonight's sky over Belfast
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See also
- October 2026 planets in Belfast
- October 2026 moonless nights in Belfast
- A personalised star map gift for Belfast
- Night length and darkness calendar for Belfast
- Which constellations can you see from Belfast tonight?
- Eclipse calendar for Belfast
- What's in the night sky tonight over Glasgow?
- What's in the night sky tonight over Preston?
- What's in the night sky tonight over Edinburgh?
- Personalised star map gifts across United Kingdom
- The sky tonight, calculated for 374 cities
- What's in the night sky tonight, from where you are?