Nagoya stargazing calendar for Jan 2027

Scores are estimated from moon phase, moonlight interference and dark-window timing for Nagoya. This first version does not include cloud cover, so always check weather.

Galactic Core (Milky Way center)

🌌 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.

Why is the galactic core visible only for part of the year, and never higher than this? Read the ecliptic plane lesson →

Date	Score	Tonight's Moon	Dark window
2027-01-03	92 · Good	Waning Crescent 19%	18:21-05:30
2027-01-04	92 · Good	Waning Crescent 12%	18:22-05:30
2027-01-05	92 · Good	Waning Crescent 7%	18:23-05:30
2027-01-06	92 · Good	Waning Crescent 3%	18:24-05:30
2027-01-07	92 · Good	Waning Crescent 1%	18:24-05:30

Stargazing Calendar

Date	Score	Tonight's Moon	Moonrise	Moonset	Dark window
2027-01-01	84 · Good	Waning Crescent 36%	00:55	11:57	18:20-05:29
2027-01-02	84 · Good	Waning Crescent 27%	01:57	12:27	18:21-05:29
2027-01-03	92 · Good	Waning Crescent 19%	02:58	13:01	18:21-05:30
2027-01-04	92 · Good	Waning Crescent 12%	03:59	13:40	18:22-05:30
2027-01-05	92 · Good	Waning Crescent 7%	04:57	14:25	18:23-05:30
2027-01-06	92 · Good	Waning Crescent 3%	05:51	15:16	18:24-05:30
2027-01-07	92 · Good	Waning Crescent 1%	06:39	16:11	18:24-05:30
2027-01-08	92 · Good	New Moon 0%	07:21	17:09	18:25-05:30
2027-01-09	92 · Good	Waxing Crescent 1%	07:57	18:09	18:26-05:30
2027-01-10	92 · Good	Waxing Crescent 5%	08:28	19:08	18:27-05:31
2027-01-11	92 · Good	Waxing Crescent 9%	08:56	20:06	18:27-05:31
2027-01-12	92 · Good	Waxing Crescent 16%	09:21	21:04	18:28-05:31
2027-01-13	84 · Good	Waxing Crescent 23%	09:46	22:02	18:29-05:31
2027-01-14	84 · Good	Waxing Crescent 32%	10:10	23:02	18:30-05:30
2027-01-15	74 · Fair	Waxing Crescent 42%	10:36	--	18:31-05:30
2027-01-16	74 · Fair	First Quarter 53%	11:05	00:05	18:31-05:30
2027-01-17	64 · Fair	Waxing Gibbous 64%	11:39	01:11	18:32-05:30
2027-01-18	52 · Fair	Waxing Gibbous 74%	12:21	02:22	18:33-05:30
2027-01-19	52 · Fair	Waxing Gibbous 84%	13:14	03:34	18:34-05:30
2027-01-20	40 · Poor	Waxing Gibbous 91%	14:17	04:44	18:35-05:30
2027-01-21	40 · Poor	Waxing Gibbous 97%	15:30	05:47	18:36-05:29
2027-01-22	40 · Poor	Full Moon 100%	16:48	06:41	18:37-05:29
2027-01-23	40 · Poor	Waning Gibbous 99%	18:05	07:25	18:37-05:29
2027-01-24	40 · Poor	Waning Gibbous 96%	19:20	08:02	18:38-05:28
2027-01-25	40 · Poor	Waning Gibbous 90%	20:30	08:34	18:39-05:28
2027-01-26	52 · Fair	Waning Gibbous 83%	21:37	09:03	18:40-05:28
2027-01-27	52 · Fair	Waning Gibbous 73%	22:43	09:30	18:41-05:27
2027-01-28	74 · Fair	Waning Gibbous 63%	23:46	09:58	18:42-05:27
2027-01-29	74 · Fair	Last Quarter 53%	--	10:28	18:43-05:26
2027-01-30	74 · Fair	Waning Crescent 43%	00:49	11:01	18:44-05:26
2027-01-31	84 · Good	Waning Crescent 34%	01:51	11:38	18:45-05:25

How to read the stargazing calendar score

The Nagoya calendar combines Moon phase, dark windows, and short-range conditions, but the score still needs local context and light pollution checks.

• Score

  The score is a first filter, not a guarantee

  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

  Bright Moon suits moon viewing; dark Moon suits the Milky Way

  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

  Night windows should avoid twilight and moonlight

  Dark outside is not always dark enough. The dark window considers twilight ending, Moon rise and set, and the length of usable night.

From calendar to observing site

After choosing a good date, confirm location, direction, and hourly weather for the night.

• Short range

  Check hourly cloud and transparency before leaving

  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

  Avoiding light pollution can matter more than altitude

  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

  The Milky Way and Moon both have 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.

Dark-sky spots from Nagoya

Grouped by driving reachability and straight-line distance. Bortle is a long-term darkness class, not a live score for tonight.

Nearby

• No dark-sky spots fall in this distance range.

Short trip

• Achi Village (Heavens Sonohara) · 75 km straight-line · estimated drive 2+ hr

Destination

• Minami-Rokuroshi · 98 km straight-line · estimated drive 2+ hr
• Norikura Kogen · 122 km straight-line · estimated drive half a day or more
• Nobeyama Kogen · 166 km straight-line · estimated drive half a day or more
• Kozushima Island · 231 km straight-line · estimated drive half a day or more
• Bisei Town · 312 km straight-line · estimated drive half a day or more

Moon phase events

• 2027-01-08 05:26 · New Moon
• 2027-01-16 05:36 · First Quarter
• 2027-01-22 21:18 · Full Moon
• 2027-01-29 19:57 · Last Quarter

Astronomy events this month

• 2027-01-03 · Meteor Shower · Quadrantids

Related tools: Stargazing & Moon Viewing Score · This month’s Moon phase calendar · Astronomy Calendar · Meteor Showers