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Sky-Tonight.com / Nebulae and Deep-Sky Objects / the Witch Head Nebula (NGC1909)

the Witch Head Nebula (NGC1909) Position and Visibility Tonight

Where is NGC1909 right now?

NGC1909 is located in the constellation Eridanus. Although NGC1909 is currently 41° above the horizon, it is not visible because it is daytime.

NGC1909 visibility on 2026-08-18

NGC1909 Rises at sunrise

NGC1909 rise and set timetable

	Time	Elevation
Moonrise, 21% illuminated	09:49	25°
Astronomical observing session begins	19:32	-56°
Moonset	20:26	-49°
NGC1909 rise	00:47
Astronomical observing session ends	02:51	23°
Twilight end	03:26	29°
Civil sunrise	03:59	34°
Sunrise	04:28	38°
NGC1909 transit	06:24	45°

Track NGC1909 Position Throughout the Night

← 18 August 2026 →

Time
Altitude
Azimuth

Shift the map to change the time and observe NGC1909 changing position in the night sky.

NGC1909 — Image Gallery

DSS Blue

Blue images highlight younger, hotter stars that emit strongly at blue wavelengths.

DSS Red

Red images reveal older, cooler stars and emission nebulae glowing strongly in hydrogen-alpha light.

DSS Near-Infrared

Near-infrared images penetrate dust that obscures visible light and reveal hidden structures.

DSS Composite Image

DSS color images combine blue, red and often near-infrared exposures into a composite view.

The images come from the Digitized Sky Survey 2 (DSS2), produced at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) under contract with NASA, using data from UK Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), European Southern Observatory (ESO), National Geographic Society-Palomar Observatory Sky Survey (POSS II).

Special thanks to National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO), Royal Observatory, Edinburgh, California Institute of Technology for their significant contributions.

Finder Chart for NGC1909

Double-click to unlock the map.

Object name	NGC1909
Field of view
Limiting magnitude
NGC1909 coordinates	5.08207, -7.26564
Center coordinates	5.08207, -7.26564

the Witch Head Nebula (NGC1909) Passage Through Night

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Current position of the Witch Head Nebula (NGC1909)

Time	07:56
Latitude	37.3541
Longitude	-121.955
Elevation	41°
Azimuth	210°

Here you can see the current position of NGC1909 on the map, as well as its positions for rise and set. This tool lets you track its movement throughout the night with accurate, up-to-date information.

Annual motion of the Witch Head Nebula (NGC1909)

NGC1909 will become visible again around August 20 after moving far enough from the Sun.

Date	Tue, 18 August 2026
Twilight start	19:28
Twilight end	02:44
Twilight duration	7h 17m
Rise	00:47
Set	12:01
Elevation at transit	45°
Transit time	06:24
Equatorial coordinates	RA: 05h 04m 55s", Dec: -7° 15' 56s
Magnitude	-
Constellation	Eridanus

The graph illustrates the annual visibility pattern of NGC1909, including its daily appearances and transit times. The vertical axis shows the hours of the day and the horizontal axis spans the year. The reddish area marks when the object is above the horizon, while the white line marks its daily transit.
You can also view detailed visibility information in a table with exact rise, transit, and set times for each date.

Astrometric and Physical Parameters of NGC1909

Coordinates and Visibility

Right Ascension	5.08207°
Declination	-7.26564°
Magnitude
Constellation	Eridanus
Elevation	40.8°
Azimuth	209.5°

Data Credits

The deep-sky information on this page comes from the OpenNGC project developed by Matteo Verga. OpenNGC provides detailed catalog data for nebulae, galaxies, clusters and other deep-sky objects.

For details or contributions, visit the official repository: OpenNGC GitHub.

Observation Settings