News
News from NightSkyCast: what is happening in the night sky, astronomy news and new features of the clear-sky forecast.
What is the Bortle scale?
The Bortle scale describes how dark the night sky appears at a particular location. It has nine classes: Class 1 represents a very dark sky, while Class 9 describes a bright urban …
How to photograph stars with a phone
For a first phone photo of the stars, keeping the camera still matters most. Put the phone on a tripod or a stable surface and use Night mode or a manual exposure if your camera ap…
The 2026 Geminids around the world
The Geminids are an annual meteor shower that is usually active in December. In 2026, the maximum is expected around December 14 at 14:00 UTC. That is 16:00 in Lithuania, while it …
Leonids 2026: when to watch the meteor shower
The Leonids are active from November 6 to 30. In 2026, the predicted maximum is on November 17 at 23:45 UTC, which is about 01:45 on November 18 in Lithuania. The International Met…
Why a clear sky can still look hazy
A night can look cloudless while faint stars and distant objects still appear dim. The atmosphere may have low transparency because haze, dust, smoke, and other tiny particles scat…
How to tell whether you’ll see stars tonight
If clouds hung over your town during the day, the whole evening may still be worth a look. An hour of clear sky is often enough for stargazing. Check how cloud cover changes over y…
