Big Sur, California, USA

Wednesday, October 30, 2024

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Big Sur, California, USA

Rocket launch

Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 9-9

Launched - marginal from here

Lifted off 5:07 AM

Very LowExcellent
Look
SSE
Heading away from you
When
5:07 AM
Highest around 5:10 AM
Distance
132 mi
Climbs to
13°
Lighting
Dark sky
Launch site
Space Launch Complex 4E
Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
Landing
Sea - Of Course I Still Love You
Too far downrange to see

A bright climbing star and a flame. The vehicle is in shadow itself, so there is no lit plume behind it.

That morning

Sunrise

7:29 AM

7:29 AM

Clears the mountains at 8:26 AM, 57 min after sunrise

7:02 AM Blue hour
7:29 AM Sunrise
8:05 AM Golden hour ends

Sunset

6:12 PM

6:12 PM

Behind the mountains at 4:59 PM, 73 min before sunset

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

5:36 PM Golden hour
6:12 PM Sunset
6:39 PM Blue hour ends

Meteor shower

Southern Taurids

Best around 1:42 AM

Very LowExcellent
7:42 PM Dark enough
1:42 AM Best
6:00 AM Too light
Estimate
A few/hour
from a dark spot here, off its peak night
Radiant climbs to
68°
Under a perfect sky
5/hour
Moonlight
No interference
Speed
27 km/s

Where they come from: Comet Encke (2P/Encke)

Dust from Comet Encke, which goes round the Sun every 3.3 years, the shortest of any bright comet. Its stream is old and spread wide, so the Taurids last for weeks and carry larger pieces than most: the 'Halloween fireballs'.

The estimate is how many you might really see from a dark spot here, allowing for how high the shower climbs and for moonlight. "Under a perfect sky" is the best case. The bar also counts the forecast cloud at the best time, so a clouded-out night sits at the bottom, as does rain on the radar now.

Not many meteors, but known for bright fireballs.

Meteor shower

Northern Taurids

Best around 1:42 AM

Very LowExcellent
7:42 PM Dark enough
1:42 AM Best
6:00 AM Too light
Estimate
A few/hour
from a dark spot here, off its peak night
Radiant climbs to
74°
Under a perfect sky
5/hour
Moonlight
No interference
Speed
29 km/s

Where they come from: Comet Encke (2P/Encke)

The other half of Comet Encke's wide, old stream: the same dust as the Southern Taurids, met a little later and from a little further north. Known, with them, for slow, bright fireballs.

The estimate is how many you might really see from a dark spot here, allowing for how high the shower climbs and for moonlight. "Under a perfect sky" is the best case. The bar also counts the forecast cloud at the best time, so a clouded-out night sits at the bottom, as does rain on the radar now.

The second half of the Taurids, peaking about a week after the Southern Taurids.

Meteor shower

Orionids

Best around 5:12 AM

Very LowExcellent
7:42 PM Dark enough
5:12 AM Best
6:00 AM Too light
Estimate
A few/hour
from a dark spot here, off its peak night
Radiant climbs to
70°
Under a perfect sky
20/hour
Moonlight
No interference
Speed
66 km/s

Where they come from: Halley's Comet (1P/Halley)

Dust shed by Halley's Comet, the same stream as May's Eta Aquariids. The comet itself last came round in 1986 and returns in 2061; its dust arrives every October.

The estimate is how many you might really see from a dark spot here, allowing for how high the shower climbs and for moonlight. "Under a perfect sky" is the best case. The bar also counts the forecast cloud at the best time, so a clouded-out night sits at the bottom, as does rain on the radar now.

Also from Halley's Comet. Fast meteors that often leave glowing trails.

Moon

Waning crescent

3% lit

5:48 AM – 5:16 PM

ESE WSW
5:48 AM Moonrise
6:08 AM 4°
11:32 AM Highest, 45°
4:56 PM 4°
5:16 PM Moonset

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

Timetable

  • Moonrise 5:48 AM
  • Morning blue hour 7:02 AM–7:29 AM
  • Sunrise 7:29 AM
  • Morning golden hour 7:29 AM–8:05 AM
  • Morning best color 7:29 AM
  • Moonset 5:16 PM
  • Evening golden hour 5:36 PM–6:12 PM
  • Sunset 6:12 PM
  • Evening blue hour 6:12 PM–6:39 PM
  • Fully dark 7:39 PM–6:03 AM
  • Dark, no Moon 7:39 PM–6:03 AM

Upcoming celestial events for Big Sur, California, USA

International Space Station Modest pass, NE to E, 27 deg up
Mon 2 Nov 2026 4:30 AM Día de Muertos Día de Muertos in Big Sur - sunset at 5:10 PM
Mon 2 Nov 2026 5:10 PM Tiangong space station Bright pass, WNW to E, 40 deg up
Mon 2 Nov 2026 5:39 PM Southern Taurids Still active, a few an hour
Mon 2 Nov 2026 6:39 PM Northern Taurids Still active, a few an hour
Mon 2 Nov 2026 6:39 PM Falcon 9 Block 5 | USSF-432 Marginal, space jellyfish SSE
Tue 3 Nov 2026 5:28 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