Scores are estimated from moon phase, moonlight interference and dark-window timing for Matsu. This first version does not include cloud cover, so always check weather.
🌌 This month the galactic core is mostly above the horizon during daytime and hard to shoot at night. Milky Way season runs roughly Feb–Oct, with May–Aug best; the higher the latitude, the shorter it stays up each night.
| Date | Score | Tonight's Moon | Dark window |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-11-05 | 92 · Good | Waning Crescent 17% | 18:35-04:52 |
| 2026-11-06 | 92 · Good | Waning Crescent 10% | 18:34-04:52 |
| 2026-11-07 | 92 · Good | Waning Crescent 5% | 18:34-04:53 |
| 2026-11-08 | 92 · Good | Waning Crescent 1% | 18:33-04:54 |
| 2026-11-09 | 92 · Good | New Moon 0% | 18:33-04:54 |
| Date | Score | Tonight's Moon | Moonrise | Moonset | Dark window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-11-01 | 74 · Fair | Waning Gibbous 58% | 23:11 | 12:15 | 18:37-04:50 |
| 2026-11-02 | 74 · Fair | Last Quarter 46% | -- | 12:58 | 18:36-04:50 |
| 2026-11-03 | 84 · Good | Waning Crescent 36% | 00:16 | 13:35 | 18:36-04:51 |
| 2026-11-04 | 84 · Good | Waning Crescent 26% | 01:17 | 14:09 | 18:35-04:51 |
| 2026-11-05 | 92 · Good | Waning Crescent 17% | 02:15 | 14:40 | 18:35-04:52 |
| 2026-11-06 | 92 · Good | Waning Crescent 10% | 03:12 | 15:11 | 18:34-04:52 |
| 2026-11-07 | 92 · Good | Waning Crescent 5% | 04:08 | 15:44 | 18:34-04:53 |
| 2026-11-08 | 92 · Good | Waning Crescent 1% | 05:05 | 16:18 | 18:33-04:54 |
| 2026-11-09 | 92 · Good | New Moon 0% | 06:02 | 16:55 | 18:33-04:54 |
| 2026-11-10 | 92 · Good | Waxing Crescent 1% | 07:00 | 17:36 | 18:32-04:55 |
| 2026-11-11 | 92 · Good | Waxing Crescent 3% | 07:57 | 18:22 | 18:32-04:55 |
| 2026-11-12 | 92 · Good | Waxing Crescent 8% | 08:51 | 19:12 | 18:32-04:56 |
| 2026-11-13 | 92 · Good | Waxing Crescent 13% | 09:42 | 20:05 | 18:31-04:57 |
| 2026-11-14 | 84 · Good | Waxing Crescent 20% | 10:28 | 21:00 | 18:31-04:57 |
| 2026-11-15 | 84 · Good | Waxing Crescent 29% | 11:10 | 21:55 | 18:31-04:58 |
| 2026-11-16 | 84 · Good | Waxing Crescent 37% | 11:47 | 22:50 | 18:31-04:59 |
| 2026-11-17 | 64 · Fair | First Quarter 47% | 12:20 | 23:45 | 18:30-04:59 |
| 2026-11-18 | 74 · Fair | Waxing Gibbous 57% | 12:52 | -- | 18:30-05:00 |
| 2026-11-19 | 62 · Fair | Waxing Gibbous 66% | 13:22 | 00:39 | 18:30-05:01 |
| 2026-11-20 | 52 · Fair | Waxing Gibbous 76% | 13:53 | 01:35 | 18:30-05:01 |
| 2026-11-21 | 52 · Fair | Waxing Gibbous 84% | 14:26 | 02:32 | 18:30-05:02 |
| 2026-11-22 | 40 · Poor | Waxing Gibbous 92% | 15:03 | 03:33 | 18:29-05:02 |
| 2026-11-23 | 40 · Poor | Waxing Gibbous 97% | 15:45 | 04:38 | 18:29-05:03 |
| 2026-11-24 | 40 · Poor | Waxing Gibbous 99% | 16:34 | 05:47 | 18:29-05:04 |
| 2026-11-25 | 40 · Poor | Waning Gibbous 99% | 17:33 | 06:58 | 18:29-05:04 |
| 2026-11-26 | 40 · Poor | Waning Gibbous 96% | 18:39 | 08:08 | 18:29-05:05 |
| 2026-11-27 | 40 · Poor | Waning Gibbous 91% | 19:49 | 09:12 | 18:29-05:06 |
| 2026-11-28 | 52 · Fair | Waning Gibbous 82% | 21:00 | 10:08 | 18:29-05:06 |
| 2026-11-29 | 52 · Fair | Waning Gibbous 73% | 22:07 | 10:55 | 18:29-05:07 |
| 2026-11-30 | 74 · Fair | Waning Gibbous 62% | 23:11 | 11:35 | 18:29-05:08 |
The Matsu 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.
Grouped by driving reachability and straight-line distance. Bortle is a long-term darkness class, not a live score for tonight.
Related tools: Stargazing & Moon Viewing Score · This month’s Moon phase calendar · Astronomy Calendar · Meteor Showers