Taitung stargazing calendar for Oct 2026

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

Galactic Core (Milky Way center)

🌌 Oct is a good window for the Milky Way core over Taitung: it climbs to a shootable altitude around 18:45, sinks back down near 20:25, and peaks around 18:45 at roughly 25° in the Southwest. Avoid moonlight and face that direction to catch the bright galactic center.

That is where the core sits in the sky over Taitung — not a promise you can see it. Under city lights the galactic core is essentially invisible, and photographing it usually means leaving the urban glow behind. Browse the dark-sky catalogue →

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
2026-10-07	92 · Good	Waning Crescent 14%	18:52-04:33
2026-10-08	92 · Good	Waning Crescent 7%	18:51-04:33
2026-10-09	92 · Good	Waning Crescent 3%	18:50-04:34
2026-10-10	92 · Good	New Moon 0%	18:49-04:34
2026-10-11	92 · Good	New Moon 0%	18:48-04:34

Stargazing Calendar

Date	Score	Tonight's Moon	Moonrise	Moonset	Dark window
2026-10-01	52 · Fair	Waning Gibbous 76%	21:02	10:12	18:58-04:31
2026-10-02	52 · Fair	Waning Gibbous 66%	22:03	11:18	18:57-04:31
2026-10-03	74 · Fair	Last Quarter 54%	23:08	12:20	18:56-04:32
2026-10-04	74 · Fair	Waning Crescent 43%	--	13:16	18:55-04:32
2026-10-05	84 · Good	Waning Crescent 32%	00:14	14:04	18:54-04:32
2026-10-06	84 · Good	Waning Crescent 22%	01:19	14:47	18:53-04:33
2026-10-07	92 · Good	Waning Crescent 14%	02:21	15:26	18:52-04:33
2026-10-08	92 · Good	Waning Crescent 7%	03:20	16:01	18:51-04:33
2026-10-09	92 · Good	Waning Crescent 3%	04:17	16:35	18:50-04:34
2026-10-10	92 · Good	New Moon 0%	05:13	17:09	18:49-04:34
2026-10-11	92 · Good	New Moon 0%	06:08	17:43	18:48-04:34
2026-10-12	92 · Good	Waxing Crescent 3%	07:04	18:20	18:48-04:35
2026-10-13	92 · Good	Waxing Crescent 7%	08:00	19:01	18:47-04:35
2026-10-14	92 · Good	Waxing Crescent 12%	08:57	19:45	18:46-04:35
2026-10-15	92 · Good	Waxing Crescent 19%	09:52	20:33	18:45-04:36
2026-10-16	84 · Good	Waxing Crescent 27%	10:45	21:24	18:44-04:36
2026-10-17	84 · Good	Waxing Crescent 36%	11:35	22:17	18:44-04:36
2026-10-18	64 · Fair	First Quarter 45%	12:20	23:12	18:43-04:37
2026-10-19	74 · Fair	First Quarter 55%	13:02	--	18:42-04:37
2026-10-20	74 · Fair	Waxing Gibbous 64%	13:39	00:07	18:41-04:38
2026-10-21	52 · Fair	Waxing Gibbous 73%	14:14	01:01	18:41-04:38
2026-10-22	52 · Fair	Waxing Gibbous 82%	14:48	01:55	18:40-04:38
2026-10-23	40 · Poor	Waxing Gibbous 89%	15:21	02:49	18:39-04:39
2026-10-24	40 · Poor	Waxing Gibbous 95%	15:55	03:45	18:39-04:39
2026-10-25	40 · Poor	Waxing Gibbous 99%	16:32	04:43	18:38-04:40
2026-10-26	40 · Poor	Full Moon 100%	17:13	05:44	18:37-04:40
2026-10-27	40 · Poor	Waning Gibbous 98%	17:59	06:49	18:37-04:41
2026-10-28	40 · Poor	Waning Gibbous 94%	18:53	07:57	18:36-04:41
2026-10-29	40 · Poor	Waning Gibbous 88%	19:54	09:06	18:36-04:41
2026-10-30	52 · Fair	Waning Gibbous 79%	21:00	10:12	18:35-04:42
2026-10-31	52 · Fair	Waning Gibbous 69%	22:07	11:11	18:35-04:42

How to read the stargazing calendar score

The Taitung 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 Taitung

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

• Xiangyang (South Cross-Island) · 61 km straight-line · estimated drive 2+ hr

Destination

• Lulin · 84 km straight-line · estimated drive 2+ hr
• Tataka · 85 km straight-line · estimated drive 2+ hr
• Alishan · 91 km straight-line · estimated drive 2+ hr
• Longpan Park · 91 km straight-line · estimated drive 2+ hr
• Wuling (Hehuanshan) · 154 km straight-line · estimated drive half a day or more

Moon phase events

• 2026-10-03 21:26 · Last Quarter
• 2026-10-10 23:51 · New Moon
• 2026-10-19 00:14 · First Quarter
• 2026-10-26 12:13 · Full Moon

Astronomy events this month

• 2026-10-04 · Planetary opposition · Saturn at opposition
• 2026-10-21 · Meteor Shower · Orionids

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