UPDATED HOURLY

Is Tonight Good for Stargazing in Joshua Tree Ryan Mountain?

Tonight’s observing conditions and the next seven-night outlook for Joshua Tree Ryan Mountain, United States.

TONIGHT · Sun, Nov 8

Joshua Tree Ryan Mountain

100/100

Promising conditions for stargazing

Observing night: Nov 8, 2026 evening → Nov 9, 2026 morning · America/Los_Angeles

Window dates: Nov 8, 2026 19:00 → Nov 8, 2026 22:00

Tonight means the evening of the first date through the following morning, in the city’s time zone—not the night that just ended.

Updated Nov 8, 2026, 4:28 PM GMT-8 · Time zone: America/Los_Angeles.

The server snapshot is cached for up to one hour.

The score includes forecast sky conditions and a Moon-phase proxy after astronomical dusk. Moonrise, local light pollution and site access are not scored; bright planets and faint deep-sky targets have different requirements.

Is tonight good for stargazing? Promising. The strongest three-hour window is 7 PM–10 PM GMT-8, with 0% forecast cloud and 2% illuminated.

BEST OBSERVING WINDOW7 PM–10 PM GMT-8High-potential window

Based on the strongest continuous three-hour combination of hourly cloud, visibility and humidity after astronomical dusk.

Tonight, hour by hour

One-hour forecast intervals within astronomical darkness. Highlighted rows are the exact three hours used for tonight’s score. Scores are rounded; their average is rounded again.

Compare the hours

Lines use the same values as the table. Gaps mean unknown data; cloud layers overlap and are not added. The shaded band marks the existing best three-hour window, where available. America/Los_Angeles

Chart metric

Total cloud
Low cloud
Middle cloud
High cloud

Selected hour: 2026-11-08 19:00
Total cloud: 0% · Low cloud: 0% · Middle cloud: 0% · High cloud: 0%

Choose an hour

Local date / time	Score	Cloud
Nov 8, 2026 · 19:00–20:00Best window	100/100	0%
Nov 8, 2026 · 20:00–21:00Best window	100/100	0%
Nov 8, 2026 · 21:00–22:00Best window	100/100	0%
Nov 8, 2026 · 22:00–23:00Other dark hour	100/100	0%
Nov 8, 2026 · 23:00–00:00Other dark hour	100/100	0%
Nov 9, 2026 · 00:00–01:00Other dark hour	100/100	0%
Nov 9, 2026 · 01:00–02:00Other dark hour	100/100	0%
Nov 9, 2026 · 02:00–03:00Other dark hour	100/100	0%
Nov 9, 2026 · 03:00–04:00Other dark hour	100/100	0%

Why this score?

Largest modeled deductions in the selected window—not a visibility guarantee.

No large modeled deductions in this window. Check target position, local lights and site access separately.

THIS WEEK

What is the best night for stargazing in Joshua Tree Ryan Mountain this week?

Tonight has the strongest whole-night average in this seven-night outlook. Its best three-hour window scores 100/100. Forecasts can change, so check again before leaving.

Whole-night averages

Tonight 100/100 · recommended night Nov 8, 2026: 100/100. This ranking uses all scored dark hours, not each card’s best three hours. Later-night values are indicative, not precise hourly forecasts.

NEXT 7 NIGHTS

Choose a better night to observe

Best upcoming night: Sun, Nov 8 · 100/100

TONIGHT · Sun, Nov 8More reliable forecast

100/100Promising

0% cloud in best window · Waning Crescent (2% illuminated)

Astronomical dusk: 6:11 PM GMT-8

Best 3-hour window: 7 PM–10 PM GMT-8

Mon, Nov 9More reliable forecast

100/100Promising

0% cloud in best window · New Moon (0% illuminated)

Astronomical dusk: 6:10 PM GMT-8

Best 3-hour window: 7 PM–10 PM GMT-8

Tue, Nov 10More reliable forecast

100/100Promising

0% cloud in best window · New Moon (0% illuminated)

Astronomical dusk: 6:10 PM GMT-8

Best 3-hour window: 7 PM–10 PM GMT-8

Wed, Nov 11Forecast may change

TrendPromising

0% nightly average cloud · Waxing Crescent (3% illuminated)

Astronomical dusk: 6:09 PM GMT-8

Indicative only — check again closer to the date.

Thu, Nov 12Forecast may change

TrendPromising

10% nightly average cloud · Waxing Crescent (7% illuminated)

Astronomical dusk: 6:09 PM GMT-8

Indicative only — check again closer to the date.

Fri, Nov 13Check again closer to the date

TrendChallenging

94% nightly average cloud · Waxing Crescent (14% illuminated)

Astronomical dusk: 6:08 PM GMT-8

Indicative only — check again closer to the date.

Sat, Nov 14Check again closer to the date

TrendChallenging

96% nightly average cloud · Waxing Crescent (22% illuminated)

Astronomical dusk: 6:07 PM GMT-8

Indicative only — check again closer to the date.

Best-night ranking compares each whole-night average. The first three cards display the best three-hour score; days 4–7 show only an indicative trend. Check again before travelling.

Plan this specific site: Ryan Mountain designated stargazing parking area

Ryan Mountain’s parking lot is one of the four stargazing areas named by NPS. This page is for the parking-area session, not a recommendation to climb Ryan Mountain in darkness.

Best suited to

Wide horizons, meteor watching and dark-sky planning

Access before weather

NPS asks stargazers to stay awake within 20 feet (6 m) of their vehicle. No roadside or parking-lot camping. Day-use-only areas close from dusk to dawn. Entrance fees and temporary closures still apply.

A practical session

Plan a long desert drive separately from the score. Bring water, food, warm clothing and a red light; do not assume running water or phone service. Headlights, horizon obstructions and wind can still spoil a nominally clear window. Use NPS directions to identify the designated lot.

Weather reference point: 34.0000, -116.1400. Rounded planning point near the trailhead shown by NPS, approximately kilometre-scale—not a marked parking bay or a surveyed weather station.

Official information checked: 2026-11-03 · Next source review: 2026-12-03

Desk review of official information, not an on-site inspection. Check current closures before travel.

Operator rules ↗Coordinate source ↗Explore on the night-lights map Compare the city forecast

◒MOONLIGHT TONIGHTWaning Crescent

2% illuminated · Check Moon phase and planning

☁BEST-WINDOW CLOUD0%

Same three-hour window as the score

◐ASTRONOMICAL DUSK6:11 PM GMT-8

Local time

◉VISIBILITY52.5 km

Current surface visibility

CURRENT SNAPSHOT, LAYER BY LAYER

Professional observing conditions

These are current forecast fields; the tonight score above uses the best three-hour window. Compare both with local conditions before travelling.

◜LOW CLOUD0%

Near-surface layer

≈MID CLOUD0%

Middle atmosphere

⌒HIGH CLOUD0%

Thin cloud can spread skyglow

≋SMOKE / HAZE RISKLow

PM2.5 2.0 μg/m³ · AOD 0.04

◇DEW POINT1.8°C

Optics dew indicator

◎ASTRONOMICAL SEEINGExcellent · 0.5–0.75″ (7Timer category 2)

7Timer ASTRO model

☀SUNSET4:45 PM GMT-8

Local time

◇HUMIDITY36%

Higher values may reduce transparency

Aurora visibility tonight

Choose a location to load NOAA activity and local conditions.

View detailed aurora forecast →

Find a darker place to observe

Search your destination on a light-pollution map, or browse certified Dark Sky Places. These are external planning resources, not additional live forecast data.

Open light-pollution map ↗Find certified Dark Sky Places ↗

A dark map color does not guarantee clear skies, legal nighttime access or safety. Check the map layer and date, then confirm opening hours, permits, transport and local conditions with the site's operator. These links do not send your coordinates automatically.

Our night-lights map and reviewed sites Compare hourly cloud layers

Astronomical twilight times Milky Way core window tonight

Sources and accuracy note

This forecast combines public model data with local astronomical calculations. Missing upstream fields are shown honestly rather than estimated without support.