Pluto Tonight: Visibility, Position and Best Viewing Time
Where is Pluto right now?
Pluto is located in the constellation Capricornus, approximately 34.94 AU (5,226,351,211 km) from Earth. It is currently above the horizon at an altitude of 19° toward the south-west, with an apparent magnitude of 14.5.
Twilight begins at 22:31 local time. At that moment, Pluto will be 19° above the horizon toward the south-west.
Twilight begins at 22:31 local time. At that moment, Pluto will be 19° above the horizon toward the south-west.
Pluto visibility on 2026-09-15
Pluto Visible from sunset until early morning
Pluto rise and set timetable
| Time | Elevation | |
Moonrise, 9.3% illuminated  | 08:37 | -74° |
| Pluto rise | 15:16 | |
| Sunset | 17:15 | 18° |
| Civil sunset | 17:42 | 21° |
| Twilight start (−12°) | 18:13 | 24° |
| Astronomical observing session begins | 18:45 | 27° |
| Moonset | 18:55 | 27° |
| Pluto transit | 19:57 | 29° |
| Pluto set | 00:39 | |
| Astronomical observing session ends | 03:21 | -30° |
Track Pluto position throughout the night
← 15 September 2026 →
| Time | |
| Altitude | |
| Azimuth |
Shift the map to change the time and observe Pluto changing position in the night sky.
Upcoming Events
| Time | Description | Constellation |
|---|---|---|
| 16 October 2026 | Retrograde motion of Pluto ends | Capricornus |
| 30 December 2026 | Retrograde motion of Pluto begins | Capricornus |
| 31 December 2026 | Retrograde motion of Pluto ends | Capricornus |
| 25 January 2027 at 15:00 | Capricornus | |
| 10 May 2027 | Retrograde motion of Pluto begins | Capricornus |
Finder Chart for Pluto
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| Object name | Pluto |
| Field of view | |
| Limiting magnitude | |
| Pluto coordinates | 20.44462, -23.60033 |
| Center coordinates | 20.44462, -23.60033 |
Pluto Passage Through Night
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Current position of Pluto
| Time | 22:31 |
| Latitude | 37.3541 |
| Longitude | -121.955 |
| Elevation | 19° |
| Azimuth | 217° |
Here you can see the current position of Pluto 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.
When Is Pluto Visible Throughout the Year?
Pluto will remain visible until January 3, when it moves too close to the Sun and temporarily disappears from the night sky.
| Date | Wed, 16 September 2026 |
| Astronomical observing session begins | 18:42 |
| Astronomical observing session ends | 03:20 |
| Astronomical observing duration | 9h 37m |
| Rise | 15:12 |
| Set | 00:35 |
| Elevation at transit | 29° |
| Transit time | 19:53 |
| Equatorial coordinates | RA: 20h 26m 38s", Dec: -23° 36' 08s |
| Magnitude | 15 |
| Constellation | Capricornus |
The graph illustrates the annual visibility pattern of Pluto, 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 see when Pluto is visible throughout the year in a table with exact rise, transit, and set times for each date.
You can also see when Pluto is visible throughout the year in a table with exact rise, transit, and set times for each date.
Astrometric and Physical Parameters of Pluto
Coordinates and Visibility
| Right Ascension | 20h 26m 41s |
| Declination | -23° 36′ 01″ |
| Magnitude | 14.5 |
| Constellation | Capricornus |
| Elevation | 19.1° |
| Azimuth | 217.1° |
Basic Properties
| Mass, kg | 1.307E+22 |
| Mean density, g/cm³ | 0.697 |
Orbit
| Orbital period, days | 249.58932 yr |
Rotation
| Sidereal rotation period, days | 153.29335198 h |
| Mean solar day, days | 153.2820 |
Surface and Atmosphere
| Surface gravity, m/s² | 0.611 m/s^2 |
| Escape velocity, km/s | 1.21 |
Data Acknowledgment
Solar-system physical and orbital parameters are provided by the Solar System OpenData API maintained by Le Système Solaire. We thank its contributors for making these open data available.