Oxford, UK Stargazing Forecast

Oxford, UK (51.75°, -1.26°) · Updated 12:09 UTC
24
Poor
high confidence ⓘ
high · Forecast lead time

Based on how far ahead tonight is, forecasts are most reliable within 24–48 hours.

Confidence reflects how trustworthy the forecast is, it doesn't change the score.

Probably skip tonight
Mostly cloudy with moderate moon interference. Delta Aquariids meteor shower peaks tonight (ZHR ~25).
Sunset
19:57
Sunrise
04:26
Usable Hours
0/4
Moon
99%
Visible Planets
♄ Saturn29° SE
Open Full Oxford, UK Forecast →
Hour-by-hour scores · Planet rise/set & visibility · ISS & satellite passes · Moon detail · Full score breakdown · Aurora & observer profiles

Stargazing in Oxford, UK

Oxford's Bortle 6 skies benefit from surrounding Oxfordshire countryside that drops to Bortle 4 within 20 minutes. The Rollright Stones area in the Cotswolds is a popular dark-sky observing site. The city's academic astronomy heritage runs deep — the Radcliffe Observatory dates to 1773. Low-lying position in the Thames valley means occasional fog, but elevated areas nearby (the Ridgeway, Wittenham Clumps) offer clearer horizons.

Oxford, UK Stargazing FAQ

Where is the best dark sky near Oxford?∨
The Rollright Stones area in the Cotswolds is a popular dark-sky observing site, about 30 minutes north-west. Rural Oxfordshire reaches Bortle 4 within 20 minutes of the city.
Is Oxford good for stargazing?∨
Oxford's Bortle 6 skies are slightly better than average for a UK city. The surrounding countryside darkens quickly, and the city's academic astronomy heritage means there's an active observing community.
Can you see planets from Oxford?∨
Yes — Jupiter, Saturn, Venus, and Mars are easily visible from Oxford on clear nights. The Radcliffe Observatory quarter is a nod to the city's astronomical history dating back to 1773.

Stargazing guides

Is Tonight Good for Stargazing?

The answer depends on five things you can check right now.

Light Pollution & the Bortle Scale

How dark is your sky — and what difference does it make?

What Planets Are Visible Tonight?

Real visibility data for all 7 naked-eye and telescope planets, calculated for your location.

Best Stargazing Locations in the UK

Certified dark sky sites, hidden gems, and how to find the darkest skies near you.
Check light pollution for this area ↗

Other locations

London Edinburgh Manchester Birmingham Glasgow Cardiff Belfast Leeds Bristol Liverpool Inverness Aberdeen York Cambridge Ballymena Bath Nottingham Sheffield Newcastle Dublin New York Los Angeles Chicago Houston Phoenix Denver San Francisco Seattle Austin Boston Miami Portland Nashville Minneapolis Salt Lake City Tucson Flagstaff Sedona Moab Anchorage Toronto Vancouver Montreal Calgary Jasper Paris Berlin Munich Amsterdam Rome Madrid Barcelona Lisbon Vienna Prague Copenhagen Stockholm Helsinki Oslo Tromsø Reykjavik Zurich Warsaw Budapest Athens Brussels Kiruna Rovaniemi Tenerife La Palma Tokyo Seoul Singapore Bangkok Dubai Mumbai Delhi Taipei Hong Kong Bali Sydney Melbourne Brisbane Perth Auckland Queenstown Cape Town Johannesburg Nairobi Marrakech Cairo Buenos Aires São Paulo Santiago Atacama Bogotá Mauna Kea Cherry Springs Galloway Forest Northumberland Cork Galway Plymouth Norwich Exeter Aberystwyth Kielder San Diego Las Vegas Dallas Atlanta Philadelphia Washington DC Albuquerque Big Bend Bryce Canyon Death Valley Ottawa Edmonton Winnipeg Yellowknife Milan Naples Krakow Geneva Nice Abisko Pic du Midi Sierra Nevada Faroe Islands Osaka Beijing Shanghai Kuala Lumpur Manila Abu Dhabi Tel Aviv Riyadh Istanbul Kyoto Adelaide Canberra Hobart Darwin Wellington Christchurch Lake Tekapo Uluru Windhoek Sutherland Casablanca Tunis Addis Ababa Accra Dar es Salaam Lagos Lima Quito Montevideo La Paz Elqui Valley Mendoza Cusco Asunción

See all locations on the map →