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Sky Digest

Friday, 13 March 2026 | Default Location
Showing the sky from Greenwich, London. Log in to use your own location.
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Tonight at a Glance

Waning Crescent 27%
Dark window: 19:11 – 04:48 (9 h 36 m)

Aurora Forecast — Very unlikely

Kp 4.7 / need 7 Bz -9.2 nT G1

Geomagnetic activity far below the Kp 7 needed at your latitude.

View full forecast

Planet Highlights

Jupiter mag -2.4 · 57° alt · Gemini Details
GRS transit tonight:

Binocular Targets

Mekbuda
Zeta Gem Variable Star
mag 3.8

At 21:00 look high in the southwest

Gem
M47
NGC 2422 Open Cluster
mag 4.4

At 21:00 look low in the south

Puppis
M42
Great Orion Nebula Nebula
mag 4.0

At 21:00 look low in the southwest

Orion

Small Scopes (3–6 inch)

Castor
HIP 36850; Alpha Gem; 66 Gem Double Star
mag 2.0

At 21:00 look high in the southwest

Gem
C54
NGC 2506 Open Cluster
mag 7.6

At 21:00 look halfway up in the south

Monoceros
Eskimo Nebula
NGC 2392 Planetary Nebula
mag 9.2

At 21:00 look high in the southwest

Gemini
C7
NGC 2403 Galaxy
mag 8.4

At 21:00 look near the zenith

Camelopardalis
R Leo
Variable Star
mag 6.0

At 21:00 look high in the southeast

Leo

Big Scopes (8–12 inch)

RX And
Variable Star
mag 10.2

At 21:00 look low in the northwest

And
Intergalactic Wanderer
NGC 2419 Globular Cluster
mag 10.4

At 21:00 look near the zenith

Lynx
M76
Little Dumbbell Nebula Planetary Nebula
mag 10.1

At 21:00 look halfway up in the northwest

Perseus
NGC 2841
Galaxy
mag 9.3

At 21:00 look near the zenith

UMa
NGC 2683
Galaxy
mag 9.7

At 21:00 look near the zenith

Lyn

The Week Ahead

Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu
🌗 27% 🌘 19% 🌘 12% 🌘 6% 🌑 2% 🌑 0% 🌑 1%
Moon occults Phi Sgr Moon occults Gamma Cap Moon occults Lambda Aqr New Moon

NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day

Toolondo Totality Trails

In this composited night skyscape, stacked exposures trace graceful star trails above Lake Toolondo, Victoria, Australia, planet Earth. Captured while the lunar eclipse of March 3 was in progress, the exposures used were made during the hour-long total eclipse phase. So faint star trails are easily visible along with the trail of the reddened Moon in eclipse-darkened skies above the lake and trees. Of course, the apparent motion of Moon and stars revealed in the timelapse composite reflect the Earth's daily rotation around its axis. Dramatically punctuating the Moon's trail as totality ended, a single, separate telephoto image of the totally eclipsed Moon was scaled and blended into the scene. Growing Gallery: Total Lunar Eclipse of March 3

Image credit: Jason Perry — APOD is a service of NASA and Michigan Tech. U.

View on NASA APOD

Space News

NASA Simulations Improve Artemis II Launch Environment

NASA used advanced simulations to optimize launch conditions for Artemis II, a major crewed mission around the Moon that represents a critical step toward returning humans to the lunar surface.

NASA — 20 Mar 2026

Artemis II rolls again

Artemis II rocket completed its second rollout to the launchpad at Kennedy Space Center, advancing preparations for the crewed lunar test flight.

ESA — 20 Mar 2026

How Open NASA Data on Comet 3I/ATLAS Will Power Tomorrow’s Discoveries

NASA's observations of the rare interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS from over a dozen missions will be preserved in public archives, providing valuable data for future scientific discoveries.

NASA — 20 Mar 2026

Smiles and Spacesuits

ISS astronaut Chris Williams completed a spacesuit fit verification, ensuring proper configuration and safety for upcoming spacewalk operations on the International Space Station.

NASA — 20 Mar 2026

Meet the Platypi: NASA’s Newest Astronaut Candidate Class

NASA's newest astronaut candidate class of ten explorers is training at Johnson Space Center for future missions to the ISS and Moon, representing the next generation of human spaceflight participants.

NASA — 19 Mar 2026

Watch Earth from Space

A 3D globe with real-time day/night terminator, ISS position tracking, aurora oval overlay, and city lights. See where the sun is shining — and where the stars are out.

Watch Earth from Space Open Earth

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