Plan Your Perfect Night
See exactly when the galactic core is visible, how the moon affects your shoot, and which nights are worth the trip.
Free to use — no account required. Or go Premium — $25/yr
Everything you need to plan your shoot
Enter any location above and get a complete night-by-night breakdown
Galactic Core Timing
Exact rise and set times for the galactic core at your location. Know precisely when the core clears the horizon during astronomical darkness — down to the minute.
Moon Phase Analysis
See moon illumination, rise/set times, and how moonlight affects each night. Plan around the moon — or plan for it.
Nightly Ratings
Each night rated 0–10 based on core visibility and moon interference. See at a glance which dates are worth the trip.
Built for astrophotographers
Three specialized planners that give you every detail you need to plan the perfect shoot.
Milky Way Calendar
See every night rated 0–10 for Milky Way photography. Get galactic core rise/set times, moon phase, and visibility windows — all calculated for your exact location.
Free — no account required for monthly views.
Moon Planner
Track moonrise and moonset with compass directions, supermoon dates, and golden hour overlaps. Know exactly when the moon will be in position for dramatic compositions.
Premium — included with your $25/year subscription.
Trip Planner
Build multi-stop photography itineraries with a map view and date-specific visibility for each location. Plan an entire week or month of shooting in one place.
Premium — included with your $25/year subscription.
Get more with Premium
Everything above stays free. Premium unlocks three full planners, unlimited locations, and complete exports — for less than a coffee per month.
One-time annual payment. Cancel anytime.
Why I built this
If you've ever driven hours to a dark-sky location only to find the galactic core below the horizon — or washed out by a moon you didn't account for — you know why planning matters.
Milky Way photography depends on three things at once: core above the horizon, moon down or near new, and enough darkness. Miss any one and you're going home empty-handed.
I built this because I got tired of cross-referencing three apps to figure out whether a weekend was worth the drive. One tool, all the data, free.
Eric D. Brown, D.Sc.
Photographer
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