What's in the night sky tonight over Darwin?
Darwin sky tonight: October–December 2026
| Month | Evening planets | Before dawn | Brightest after dark | Fully dark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| mid-October · 9:00 pm | Saturn (E) | Mars (rises 2:15 am), Jupiter (rises 2:59 am) | Vega (NW), Saturn (E, planet), Achernar (SE) | 7:55 pm |
| mid-November · 9:00 pm | Saturn (NE) | Venus (rises 4:18 am), Mars (rises 1:12 am), Jupiter (rises 1:10 am) | Achernar (S), Saturn (NE, planet), Altair (W) | 8:07 pm |
| mid-December · 9:00 pm | Saturn (NW) | Venus (rises 3:24 am), Mars (rises 11:55 pm), Jupiter (rises 11:17 pm) | Sirius (E), Canopus (SE), Capella (NE) | 8:26 pm |
From Darwin in mid-October: Saturn is up all night. Look east after 9:00 pm, 45° up (about 5 fists above the horizon). Later, Mars rises around 2:15 am and Jupiter rises around 2:59 am. Venus joins the dawn sky in November. Brightest after dark: Vega, Saturn and Achernar. Fully dark from 7:55 pm. Full Moons: October 26, November 25 and December 24.
Full Moon: October 26 (1:42 pm), November 25 (12:24 am), December 24 (10:58 am). New Moon (darkest skies): October 11, 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 Darwin
- Or name a star in Aquarius, high over Darwin on October evenings: a symbolic dedication with a PDF certificate. Choose a star in Aquarius
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 Darwin
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 Darwin'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 Darwin'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 Darwin 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 Darwin, month by month
In mid-October: Mars rises around 2:15 am and stands 40° high in the northeast an hour before sunrise; Jupiter rises around 2:59 am and stands 32° high in the northeast an hour before sunrise; Saturn is up all night: 45° high in the east at 9:00 pm, highest around 11:52 pm. Mercury and Venus are not visible. In mid-November: Venus rises around 4:18 am and stands 12° high in the east an hour before sunrise; Mars rises around 1:12 am and stands 51° high in the northeast an hour before sunrise; Jupiter rises around 1:10 am and stands 52° high in the northeast an hour before sunrise; Saturn is 73° up in the northeast at 9:00 pm and sets around 3:44 am. Mercury is not visible. In mid-December: Venus rises around 3:24 am and stands 26° high in the east an hour before sunrise; Mars rises around 11:55 pm and stands 65° high in the north an hour before sunrise; Jupiter rises around 11:17 pm and stands 64° high in the north an hour before sunrise; Saturn is 67° up in the northwest at 9:00 pm and sets around 1:44 am. Mercury is not visible.
The brightest lights after dark
The brightest points above Darwin on evenings of the season, with their height above the horizon: mid-October at 9:00 pm: Vega, 22° in the northwest; Saturn (planet), 45° in the east; Achernar, 28° in the southeast; Altair, 54° in the northwest. mid-November at 9:00 pm: Achernar, 41° in the south; Saturn (planet), 73° in the northeast; Altair, 27° in the west; Fomalhaut, 69° in the southwest. mid-December at 9:00 pm: Sirius, 19° in the east; Canopus, 23° in the southeast; Capella, 15° in the northeast; Rigel, 39° in the east. Stars twinkle more than planets, especially near the horizon.
Moon phases in Darwin time
Full Moon: October 26 (1:42 pm), November 25 (12:24 am), December 24 (10:58 am). New Moon: October 11 (1:20 am), November 9 (4:32 pm), December 9 (10:22 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 Darwin?
On the 15th of each month, full darkness starts at 7:55 pm in mid-October, 8:07 pm in mid-November, 8:26 pm in mid-December. Sunrise comes at 6:21 am in mid-October, 6:10 am in mid-November, 6:16 am in mid-December. From Darwin's southern-hemisphere latitude (12.5°), the nights shorten towards the December solstice.
Constellations to look for this season
High overhead in mid-October: Aquarius, Piscis Austrinus, Grus, Pegasus and Aquila. Rising in the east: Andromeda, Aries and Eridanus. By mid-December: Cetus, Eridanus, Pisces, Aries and Phoenix overhead, with Orion, Canis Major, Auriga and Puppis rising.
Near Darwin
From Cairns, 1679 km away, full darkness in mid-October begins 25 minutes earlier; the same planets and constellations apply, so this guide also works there. Other nearby guides: Townsville (1866 km), Adelaide (2618 km).
Eclipses in the region
Eclipses listed for the wider region: 18 July 2027: Penumbral lunar eclipse, 16:04 UTC; 17 August 2027: Penumbral lunar eclipse, 07:14 UTC; 6 July 2028: Partial lunar eclipse, 18:20 UTC; 22 July 2028: Total solar eclipse, 02:56 UTC; 31 December 2028: Total lunar eclipse, 16:53 UTC; 11 July 2029: Partial solar eclipse, 15:37 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 Darwin, 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 Darwin a gift
A night under the Darwin 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 Aquarius, high over Darwin 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 Darwin?
In mid-October at 9:00 pm, the brightest points above Darwin are Vega (northwest, 22° up), Saturn (east, 45° up, a planet), Achernar (southeast, 28° up), Altair (northwest, 54° 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 Darwin?
In mid-October: Mars rises around 2:15 am and stands 40° high in the northeast an hour before sunrise; Jupiter rises around 2:59 am and stands 32° high in the northeast an hour before sunrise; Saturn is up all night: 45° high in the east at 9:00 pm, highest around 11:52 pm. Mercury and Venus are not visible. In mid-November: Venus rises around 4:18 am and stands 12° high in the east an hour before sunrise; Mars rises around 1:12 am and stands 51° high in the northeast an hour before sunrise; Jupiter rises around 1:10 am and stands 52° high in the northeast an hour before sunrise; Saturn is 73° up in the northeast at 9:00 pm and sets around 3:44 am. Mercury is not visible.
When is it fully dark in Darwin tonight?
Full darkness (the end of astronomical twilight) begins around 7:55 pm in mid-October, 8:07 pm in mid-November, 8:26 pm in mid-December. Bright planets and stars appear earlier, about half an hour after sunset.
When is the next full moon in Darwin?
In Darwin time, the full Moons of the season fall on October 26 (1:42 pm), November 25 (12:24 am), December 24 (10:58 am). The darkest skies, best for faint stars and the Milky Way, are around the new Moons of October 11, 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 Darwin, Aquarius and Piscis Austrinus are overhead in mid-October; by mid-December, Cetus and Eridanus have taken over and Orion is rising in the east. The planets also move against the stars from week to week.
✦ Personalised star certificate
Look up: give a star you can find in the sky
A personalised certificate with a QR code: one smartphone scan shows the star in 3D, then its direction in the real sky.
- Choose a real star and its name
- Scan the certificate’s QR code, no app needed
- Find it in the sky with your smartphone
From €8.91 · PDF to download as soon as you pay
Symbolic dedication in the private Starry Memory registry. Depending on its brightness and the weather, you’ll see it with the naked eye, with binoculars, or find its direction.
Name a star: the certificate in detail
Rather the sky of a date and place? Create a star map · HD file €3.99
See also
- October 2026 planets in Darwin
- October 2026 moonless nights in Darwin
- A personalised star map gift for Darwin
- Night length and darkness calendar for Darwin
- Which constellations can you see from Darwin tonight?
- Eclipse calendar for Darwin
- What's in the night sky tonight over Cairns?
- What's in the night sky tonight over Townsville?
- What's in the night sky tonight over Adelaide?
- Personalised star map gifts across Australia
- The sky tonight, calculated for 374 cities
- What's in the night sky tonight, from where you are?