Scores are estimated from moon phase, moonlight interference and dark-window timing for Hong Kong. This first version does not include cloud cover, so always check weather.
🌌 Jul is a good window for the Milky Way core over Hong Kong: it climbs to a shootable altitude around 20:35, sinks back down near 02:55, and peaks around 22:35 at roughly 39° in the South. Avoid moonlight and face that direction to catch the bright galactic center.
That is where the core sits in the sky over Hong Kong — not a promise you can see it. Under city lights it is essentially invisible, and our dark-sky catalogue currently lists no qualifying site in the region around Hong Kong.
| Date | Score | Tonight's Moon | Dark window |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-11 | 92 · Good | Waning Crescent 15% | 20:36-04:20 |
| 2026-07-12 | 92 · Good | Waning Crescent 8% | 20:35-04:21 |
| 2026-07-13 | 92 · Good | Waning Crescent 2% | 20:35-04:21 |
| 2026-07-14 | 92 · Good | New Moon 0% | 20:35-04:22 |
| 2026-07-15 | 92 · Good | Waxing Crescent 1% | 20:35-04:22 |
| Date | Score | Tonight's Moon | Moonrise | Moonset | Dark window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-01 | 40 · Poor | Waning Gibbous 99% | 20:23 | 06:28 | 20:37-04:16 |
| 2026-07-02 | 40 · Poor | Waning Gibbous 96% | 21:02 | 07:23 | 20:37-04:16 |
| 2026-07-03 | 40 · Poor | Waning Gibbous 91% | 21:38 | 08:17 | 20:37-04:16 |
| 2026-07-04 | 52 · Fair | Waning Gibbous 84% | 22:12 | 09:11 | 20:37-04:17 |
| 2026-07-05 | 52 · Fair | Waning Gibbous 76% | 22:45 | 10:04 | 20:37-04:17 |
| 2026-07-06 | 62 · Fair | Waning Gibbous 67% | 23:17 | 10:57 | 20:36-04:18 |
| 2026-07-07 | 74 · Fair | Waning Gibbous 57% | 23:51 | 11:52 | 20:36-04:18 |
| 2026-07-08 | 74 · Fair | Last Quarter 46% | -- | 12:49 | 20:36-04:19 |
| 2026-07-09 | 84 · Good | Waning Crescent 35% | 00:28 | 13:50 | 20:36-04:19 |
| 2026-07-10 | 84 · Good | Waning Crescent 25% | 01:11 | 14:55 | 20:36-04:20 |
| 2026-07-11 | 92 · Good | Waning Crescent 15% | 02:00 | 16:04 | 20:36-04:20 |
| 2026-07-12 | 92 · Good | Waning Crescent 8% | 02:57 | 17:13 | 20:35-04:21 |
| 2026-07-13 | 92 · Good | Waning Crescent 2% | 04:02 | 18:19 | 20:35-04:21 |
| 2026-07-14 | 92 · Good | New Moon 0% | 05:12 | 19:18 | 20:35-04:22 |
| 2026-07-15 | 92 · Good | Waxing Crescent 1% | 06:23 | 20:08 | 20:35-04:22 |
| 2026-07-16 | 92 · Good | Waxing Crescent 4% | 07:31 | 20:52 | 20:34-04:23 |
| 2026-07-17 | 92 · Good | Waxing Crescent 10% | 08:34 | 21:31 | 20:34-04:23 |
| 2026-07-18 | 92 · Good | Waxing Crescent 18% | 09:34 | 22:06 | 20:33-04:24 |
| 2026-07-19 | 84 · Good | Waxing Crescent 27% | 10:30 | 22:39 | 20:33-04:25 |
| 2026-07-20 | 84 · Good | Waxing Crescent 37% | 11:24 | 23:12 | 20:33-04:25 |
| 2026-07-21 | 64 · Fair | First Quarter 47% | 12:17 | 23:46 | 20:32-04:26 |
| 2026-07-22 | 74 · Fair | Waxing Gibbous 57% | 13:11 | -- | 20:32-04:26 |
| 2026-07-23 | 62 · Fair | Waxing Gibbous 66% | 14:05 | 00:23 | 20:31-04:27 |
| 2026-07-24 | 52 · Fair | Waxing Gibbous 75% | 15:00 | 01:03 | 20:31-04:28 |
| 2026-07-25 | 52 · Fair | Waxing Gibbous 83% | 15:54 | 01:47 | 20:30-04:28 |
| 2026-07-26 | 40 · Poor | Waxing Gibbous 89% | 16:47 | 02:35 | 20:30-04:29 |
| 2026-07-27 | 40 · Poor | Waxing Gibbous 94% | 17:36 | 03:27 | 20:29-04:29 |
| 2026-07-28 | 40 · Poor | Waxing Gibbous 98% | 18:21 | 04:21 | 20:28-04:30 |
| 2026-07-29 | 40 · Poor | Full Moon 100% | 19:02 | 05:17 | 20:28-04:31 |
| 2026-07-30 | 40 · Poor | Waning Gibbous 100% | 19:39 | 06:12 | 20:27-04:31 |
| 2026-07-31 | 40 · Poor | Waning Gibbous 98% | 20:14 | 07:07 | 20:26-04:32 |
The Hong Kong calendar combines Moon phase, dark windows, and short-range conditions, but the score still needs local context and light pollution checks.
Score
High scores mean friendlier moonlight and night windows, and short-range views can include cloud and transparency. Local fog, patchy cloud, and nearby lights can still change the outcome.
Moonlight
Full-moon periods light the landscape but reduce faint-star and Milky Way contrast. For the Milky Way, meteors, or deep-sky targets, new-moon periods are usually better.
Dark window
Dark outside is not always dark enough. The dark window considers twilight ending, Moon rise and set, and the length of usable night.
After choosing a good date, confirm location, direction, and hourly weather for the night.
Short range
Moon phase can be planned months ahead, but cloud needs a short-range forecast. For the actual night, use hourly stargazing index and on-site observation.
Place
High elevation may help with low cloud, but nearby lights can still wash out the sky. Use the dark-sky map to remove weak candidates first.
Direction
A site may only work for certain horizons. Use the sky map to check the galactic center, Moon, and constellations before facing sea, mountains, or city lights.
Related tools: Stargazing & Moon Viewing Score · This month’s Moon phase calendar · Astro Events · Meteor Showers