Byeolmuri Tonight: decide what to look at before you step outside
Every Byeolmuri lesson ends outdoors. The Tonight tab is where you plan that trip: how dark it gets, what the Moon is doing, and what's worth finding.
In Byeolmuri, every lesson ends the same way: go outside and check it with your own eyes. That’s the best part, and also the part that goes wrong most often. You step out at the wrong time, the Moon washes everything out, or you’re looking in the wrong direction.
The Tonight tab is where you plan the trip before you put your shoes on. Here’s how to read it. 🔭
Next to the lessons
On the panel beside the sky there are two tabs: Learn for the lessons and Tonight for the sky above you right now. Open Tonight and the first thing you see is a one-line verdict, like Tonight: good, with how many hours of darkness you’ll get and the place it worked that out for.
Four times that matter
Under the verdict sit four times: Sunset, Dusk ends, Dawn starts and Sunrise.
The two in the middle are the ones to plan around. After sunset the sky keeps a glow for a while; it only goes properly dark when dusk ends, and it starts brightening again when dawn starts. Faint things are only worth hunting for in between.
What the Moon is doing
Next comes the Moon: how much of it is lit, and a short note on how much it will get in the way, from barely any interference to a lot.
A bright Moon isn’t bad news for everything. It’s a wonderful target in itself, and bright planets and stars still show up well. It’s the faint, fuzzy things that it drowns out.
Worth seeing tonight
The list underneath is the heart of the tab. Each row tells you three things about an object:
| On the row | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| max and an angle | How high above the horizon it climbs tonight. Higher means clear of rooftops and haze |
| A time | When it’s at its highest, and so easiest to see |
| mag and a number | How bright it is. The smaller the number, the brighter |
So a row with a high angle, a time before bedtime and a small mag number is your best bet for a first look.
Tap a row to find it
Tap any row and the sky turns to face that object, with its name marked above the horizon. A card opens beside it with more detail, including when it rises and sets.
That’s the step that helps most outside: you know not just what to look for, but which way to face.
Coming up next
Haven’t opened a lesson yet? Start with Byeolmuri: learn the sky, then go out and find it. For what suits which age, see Coding for kids: what to try at each age.
Next time: how a picture-making AI turns a mess into a picture, in AI Teading Teens.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the Tonight tab?
Right beside Learn, on the panel next to the sky. Learn holds the lessons; Tonight is the plan for the sky above you right now.
What do the four times mean?
Sunset, the moment dusk ends, the moment dawn starts, and sunrise. The sky is only properly dark between dusk ending and dawn starting.
What does mag mean in the list?
It's magnitude, a measure of brightness. The smaller the number, the brighter the object, so a low number is easier to spot from a city.
Can I see where an object is?
Tap it in the list. The sky turns to face it and a card opens with more about it, including when it rises and sets.