Big Sur, California, USA

Tuesday, August 18, 2026

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TODAY
Big Sur, California, USA

Rocket launch

Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 17-50

Launched - good from here

Lifted off 9:01 PM

Very LowExcellent
Look
SSE
Heading away from you
When
9:01 PM
Highest around 9:10 PM
Distance
132 mi
Climbs to
43°
Lighting
Twilight window
Launch site
Space Launch Complex 4E
Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
Landing
Sea - Of Course I Still Love You
Too far downrange to see

The sun is far enough down that the ground is dark and still high enough to light the plume: exhaust expanding into near-vacuum turns into a glowing bell visible for hundreds of miles.

That morning

Sunrise

6:28 AM

6:28 AM

6:00 AM Blue hour
6:28 AM Sunrise
7:03 AM Golden hour ends

Sunset

7:54 PM

7:54 PM

Too far ahead for a weather forecast. These are the sun's own times - they will not change.

7:19 PM Golden hour
7:54 PM Sunset
8:21 PM Blue hour ends

Milky Way

Milky Way

Poor viewing

Visible from 11:07 PM

Very LowExcellent
Visible, no moon
11:07 PM to 12:37 AM
Where to look
South-southwestern horizon, up to 18° above it
Highest at
11:07 PM
Sky fully dark
9:27 PM to 4:55 AM
Sky darkness
Fair
Cloud
Not forecast yet

The bright center of the Milky Way: when it is above the horizon with the sky fully dark and the Moon set, brought down for how dark the sky is here (estimated from the towns around by Walker's law) and for cloud where the forecast reaches.

Moon

First quarter

37% lit

12:50 PM – 10:58 PM

ESE WSW
12:50 PM Moonrise
1:12 PM 4°
5:54 PM Highest, 33°
10:35 PM 4°
10:58 PM Moonset

Between the two 4° marks the Moon is clear of haze and most of what stands on the horizon.

Timetable

  • Morning blue hour 6:00 AM–6:28 AM
  • Morning best color 6:24 AM
  • Sunrise 6:28 AM
  • Morning golden hour 6:28 AM–7:03 AM
  • Moonrise 12:50 PM
  • Evening golden hour 7:19 PM–7:54 PM
  • Sunset 7:54 PM
  • Evening blue hour 7:54 PM–8:21 PM
  • Fully dark 9:27 PM–4:55 AM
  • Moonset 10:58 PM
  • Dark, no Moon 11:07 PM–4:55 AM

Upcoming celestial events for Big Sur, California, USA

International Space Station Modest pass, NNE to NE, 16 deg up
Mon 19 Oct 2026 5:15 AM Orionids Active, around 11 an hour
Sun 18 Oct 2026 7:57 PM Orionids Around 18 an hour
Tue 20 Oct 2026 7:54 PM Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 15-16 Fair, look SSE
Fri 23 Oct 2026 10:29 PM Full Hunter's Moon Rises 5:49 PM in the ENE Sun 25 Oct 2026 5:49 PM Southern Taurids A few an hour
Wed 4 Nov 2026 6:37 PM Partial lunar eclipse 6% of the Moon in shadow
Tue 11 Jan 2028 8:13 PM Partial solar eclipse 54.1% of the Sun covered
Sun 14 Jan 2029 8:21 AM Total lunar eclipse 48% of it above your horizon
Mon 25 Jun 2029 8:22 PM Partial solar eclipse 0.9% of the Sun covered
Fri 14 Nov 2031 1:27 PM Partial solar eclipse 34.5% of the Sun covered
Wed 30 Mar 2033 10:20 AM Total lunar eclipse Totality lasts 78 minutes
Fri 7 Oct 2033 3:55 AM Partial solar eclipse 3.5% of the Sun covered
Sun 2 Sep 2035 7:33 PM Total lunar eclipse 45% of it above your horizon
Wed 6 Aug 2036 7:51 PM Partial solar eclipse 7.2% of the Sun covered
Thu 9 Apr 2043 11:41 AM Partial solar eclipse 81.6% of the Sun covered
Tue 23 Aug 2044 7:05 PM Partial solar eclipse 88.4% of the Sun covered
Sat 12 Aug 2045 9:17 AM

Every celestial event, and where else to see it