Sky calendar · 43.98°N 0.50°E
What's up over the Gers.
Tonight's sky and the nights worth planning a trip around, worked out for La Romieu. Every night is better when the sky is clear, so check the forecast before you set off.
Tonight at the observatory
Tonight's sky
- Moon
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- Sunset
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- Full darkness
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- Moon
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Cloud cover tonight
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Times are French local time (Europe/Paris). Forecast: Open-Meteo, hourly, 19:00 to 05:00.
Coming up
Nights worth planning around.
Meteor showers, eclipses and planets visible from La Romieu. The Moon on each date is worked out for you: in the full-moon window we can't open the observatory, so we point you to the nearest night we're open.
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Orionids meteor shower
Fast, often bright meteors from the dust trail of Halley's Comet, streaking out of Orion as it climbs in the east.
Peak night 21–22 Oct · best after midnight
Moon 82% Book this night -
Leonids meteor shower
The swiftest meteors of the year, from Comet Tempel–Tuttle. A modest shower most years, with the odd surprise.
Peak night 17–18 Nov · after midnight, Leo in the east
Moon 57% Book this night -
Geminids meteor shower
The richest shower of the year, and it starts early: Gemini rises in the evening, so meteors arrive from mid-evening. Under dark Gers skies, expect dozens an hour.
Peak night 13–14 Dec · from about 21:00
Moon 22% Book this night -
Winter solstice: the longest night
The most hours of darkness in the year, with the winter Milky Way, Orion and the Pleiades high by late evening. The small Ursids shower peaks the next night.
21 Dec · dark from about 19:00
Moon 95% Book this night -
Quadrantids meteor shower
A strong but short peak, lasting only a few hours. The radiant sits low in the north-east in the evening and climbs high before dawn.
Peak night 3–4 Jan · best before dawn
Moon 17% Book this night -
Mars at opposition
Mars rises at sunset and stays up all night, at its brightest for two years. The Moon is full that week, but Mars stays well placed for weeks either side.
19 Feb · up all night in Leo
Full-moon window Book the nearest open night -
Lyrids meteor shower
One of the oldest recorded showers, from Comet Thatcher. A bright Moon washes it out this year, but spring evenings either side are excellent for galaxies.
Peak night 22–23 Apr · after midnight
Full-moon window Book the nearest open night -
Solar eclipse of 2 August 2027
The longest total eclipse on land this century crosses southern Spain and North Africa. From the Gers, the Moon covers most of the Sun in a deep partial eclipse. Never look at the Sun without certified eclipse glasses.
2 Aug · late morning · partial from the Gers
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Perseids meteor shower
The summer classic: warm nights, a high Milky Way and steady meteors from Comet Swift–Tuttle. The Moon sets around 3 am, leaving the hours before dawn properly dark.
Peak night 12–13 Aug · best from 3 am to dawn
Moon 79% Book this night
New events are on their way. In the meantime, every clear, moonless night is a good one.
Dates are for the evening the night begins. Meteor rates are for a dark sky; all of it depends on clear weather.