What's in the night sky tonight over Wellington?
Wellington sky tonight: October–December 2026
| Month | Evening planets | Before dawn | Brightest after dark | Fully dark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| mid-October · 9:00 pm | Mercury (W), Saturn (NE) | Mars (rises 3:42 am), Jupiter (rises 4:13 am) | Rigil Kentaurus (SW), Saturn (NE, planet), Achernar (SE) | 9:19 pm |
| mid-November · 9:30 pm | Saturn (N) | Mars (rises 2:26 am), Jupiter (rises 2:21 am) | Canopus (SE), Rigil Kentaurus (S), Achernar (SE) | 10:12 pm |
| mid-December · 10:15 pm | Saturn (NW) | Venus (rises 3:26 am), Mars (rises 1:00 am), Jupiter (rises 12:27 am) | Sirius (E), Canopus (SE), Rigel (NE) | 10:58 pm |
From Wellington in mid-October: Saturn is up all night. Look northeast after 9:00 pm, 26° up (about 3 fists above the horizon). Mercury is low in the west (9°) at 9:00 pm and sets around 9:55 pm. Later, Mars rises around 3:42 am and Jupiter rises around 4:13 am. Venus joins the dawn sky in December. Brightest after dark: Rigil Kentaurus, Saturn and Achernar. Fully dark from 9:19 pm. Full Moons: October 26, November 25 and December 24.
Full Moon: October 26 (5:12 pm), November 25 (3:54 am), December 24 (2:28 pm). 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 Wellington
- Or name a star in Grus, high over Wellington on October evenings: a symbolic dedication with a PDF certificate. Choose a star in Grus
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 Wellington
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 Wellington'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 Wellington'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 Wellington 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 Wellington, month by month
In mid-October: Mercury is 9° up in the west at 9:00 pm and sets around 9:55 pm; Mars rises around 3:42 am and stands 16° high in the northeast an hour before sunrise; Jupiter rises around 4:13 am and stands 13° high in the northeast an hour before sunrise; Saturn is up all night: 26° high in the northeast at 9:00 pm, highest around 12:27 am. Venus is not visible. In mid-November: Mars rises around 2:26 am and stands 22° high in the northeast an hour before sunrise; Jupiter rises around 2:21 am and stands 23° high in the northeast an hour before sunrise; Saturn is 46° up in the north at 9:30 pm and sets around 4:17 am. Mercury and Venus are not visible. In mid-December: Venus rises around 3:26 am and stands 13° high in the east an hour before sunrise; Mars rises around 1:00 am and stands 32° high in the northeast an hour before sunrise; Jupiter rises around 12:27 am and stands 34° high in the north an hour before sunrise; Saturn is 40° up in the northwest at 10:15 pm and sets around 2:17 am. Mercury is not visible.
The brightest lights after dark
The brightest points above Wellington on evenings of the season, with their height above the horizon: mid-October at 9:00 pm: Rigil Kentaurus, 32° in the southwest; Saturn (planet), 26° in the northeast; Achernar, 46° in the southeast; Hadar, 28° in the southwest. mid-November at 9:30 pm: Canopus, 27° in the southeast; Rigil Kentaurus, 18° in the south; Achernar, 66° in the southeast; Saturn (planet), 46° in the north. mid-December at 10:15 pm: Sirius, 30° in the east; Canopus, 50° in the southeast; Rigel, 41° in the northeast; Betelgeuse, 22° in the northeast. Stars twinkle more than planets, especially near the horizon.
Moon phases in Wellington time
Full Moon: October 26 (5:12 pm), November 25 (3:54 am), December 24 (2:28 pm). New Moon: October 11 (4:50 am), November 9 (8:02 pm), December 9 (1:52 pm). 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 Wellington?
On the 15th of each month, full darkness starts at 9:19 pm in mid-October, 10:12 pm in mid-November, 10:58 pm in mid-December. Sunrise comes at 6:31 am in mid-October, 5:51 am in mid-November, 5:42 am in mid-December. From Wellington's southern-hemisphere latitude (41.3°), the nights shorten towards the December solstice.
Constellations to look for this season
High overhead in mid-October: Grus, Piscis Austrinus, Pavo, Sagittarius, Aquarius and Phoenix. Rising in the east: Cetus, Pisces and Eridanus. By mid-December: Eridanus, Phoenix and Cetus overhead, with Orion, Carina, Puppis and Canis Major rising. Never setting from Wellington: Crux, Carina and Pavo.
Near Wellington
From Christchurch, 305 km away, full darkness in mid-October begins 16 minutes later; the same planets and constellations apply, so this guide also works there. Other nearby guides: Hamilton (392 km), Tauranga (418 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 Wellington, 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 Wellington a gift
A night under the Wellington 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 Grus, high over Wellington 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 Wellington?
In mid-October at 9:00 pm, the brightest points above Wellington are Rigil Kentaurus (southwest, 32° up), Saturn (northeast, 26° up, a planet), Achernar (southeast, 46° up), Hadar (southwest, 28° 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 Wellington?
In mid-October: Mercury is 9° up in the west at 9:00 pm and sets around 9:55 pm; Mars rises around 3:42 am and stands 16° high in the northeast an hour before sunrise; Jupiter rises around 4:13 am and stands 13° high in the northeast an hour before sunrise; Saturn is up all night: 26° high in the northeast at 9:00 pm, highest around 12:27 am. Venus is not visible. In mid-November: Mars rises around 2:26 am and stands 22° high in the northeast an hour before sunrise; Jupiter rises around 2:21 am and stands 23° high in the northeast an hour before sunrise; Saturn is 46° up in the north at 9:30 pm and sets around 4:17 am. Mercury and Venus are not visible.
When is it fully dark in Wellington tonight?
Full darkness (the end of astronomical twilight) begins around 9:19 pm in mid-October, 10:12 pm in mid-November, 10:58 pm in mid-December. Bright planets and stars appear earlier, about half an hour after sunset.
When is the next full moon in Wellington?
In Wellington time, the full Moons of the season fall on October 26 (5:12 pm), November 25 (3:54 am), December 24 (2:28 pm). 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 Wellington, Grus and Piscis Austrinus are overhead in mid-October; by mid-December, Eridanus and Cetus have taken over and Orion is rising in the east. The planets also move against the stars from week to week.
See tonight's sky over Wellington
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See also
- October 2026 planets in Wellington
- October 2026 moonless nights in Wellington
- A personalised star map gift for Wellington
- Night length and darkness calendar for Wellington
- Which constellations can you see from Wellington tonight?
- Eclipse calendar for Wellington
- What's in the night sky tonight over Christchurch?
- What's in the night sky tonight over Hamilton, New Zealand?
- What's in the night sky tonight over Tauranga?
- Personalised star map gifts across New Zealand
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- What's in the night sky tonight, from where you are?