Stargazing in Sekotong, Lombok | When to See the Southern Cross and the Milky Way, and Tips for Viewing

“Can you see the Southern Cross and the Milky Way from Lombok? If so, in which months, and at what time of night?” Plenty of travellers heading to Bali or Lombok hope to see the Southern Cross. The short answer: from Sekotong (about 8.7°S), the Southern Cross rises to around 35–41° above the southern horizon, comfortably high in the sky. May to July is when both the Southern Cross and the core of the Milky Way are easiest to see early in the evening, and it coincides with the start of the dry season.

This article is based on pages we actually opened and checked, including astronomy explainers from the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan and Astro Arts, a weather-data site and the official help pages of smartphone makers. Monthly viewing times and star altitudes were worked out from the stars’ coordinates using standard formulas, and are marked as “calculated” in the text. We could not confirm the weather on any given night or a figure for how dark Sekotong’s sky is, so we have not included either.

Lombok’s month-by-month weather is covered in Best Time to Visit Lombok: Month-by-Month Weather, and the Sekotong area itself in our complete guide to Sekotong. This article sticks to how the night sky looks and the practicalities of stargazing.

It is written for anyone who wants to see the Southern Cross or the Milky Way on a trip to Lombok or Bali, or who wants to choose when to travel based on the stars. You don’t need any stargazing experience: we have kept technical terms to a minimum.

Information as of September 2026

Can you see the Southern Cross from Sekotong?

Yes. The Southern Cross (the constellation Crux) is a small cross made up of four stars: Acrux (at the foot of the cross, magnitude 0.8), Mimosa (1.3), Gacrux (at the top, 1.6) and Imai (2.8). The four stars lie about 57–63° south of the celestial equator (declination −57° to −63°), so in the Northern Hemisphere they sit lower the further north you go. North of about 27°N, the Southern Cross never rises at all.

From Sekotong, the star at the foot of the cross reaches about 35° and the star at the top about 41° (calculated). West Lombok Regency, which includes Sekotong, has its reference point at 8°43′S, and the calculations in this article use 8.7°S, 116.0°E. Denpasar, Bali’s capital, is also at about 8.7°S and uses the same Central Indonesia Time (WITA, UTC+8) as Lombok, so the altitudes and times in this article apply almost unchanged in Bali too.

In which months, and at what time, can you see the Southern Cross and the Milky Way core?

Stars reach the same position about four minutes earlier each day, so the stars you see at a given time shift by about two hours over a month. Calculated for the 15th of each month, the Southern Cross is highest, due south, from Sekotong at about 23:00 in April, about 21:00 in May and about 19:00 in June. In January it is highest at about 05:00, before dawn, and in March at about 01:00; through the wet season it is a late-night to pre-dawn sight.

The Milky Way looks densest and brightest around Sagittarius, the direction of the centre of our galaxy. From Sekotong this part of the sky climbs to about 70° due south, close to overhead (calculated). It is above 20° during fully dark hours from February to October, but from February to April only before dawn; it is visible from early evening, soon after sunset, from June to September.

Figure: Best viewing times for the Southern Cross and the Milky Way core from Sekotong, by month

How to read the chart: in May, the Southern Cross is up from about 19:20 to about 02:00, and the Milky Way core from about 21:45 until dawn. In June, the Southern Cross is up from about 19:30 to about midnight, and the Milky Way core from about 19:45 until dawn. In July, the Southern Cross is visible until about 22:00 and the Milky Way core until about 03:00. In August the Southern Cross is visible only briefly just after dark, and from September to November the whole cross does not rise high during dark hours. In December and January it is a late-night to pre-dawn sight.

Which way should you look? Finding the Southern Cross and the Milky Way

The Southern Cross appears in the southern sky. From Sekotong it rises in the south-south-east, stands upright when due south, and sets in the south-south-west (calculated). The cross is smaller than many people expect, and there is a similar-looking “False Cross” nearby. To tell them apart, look for the two bright stars of Centaurus (Alpha and Beta Centauri), known as “the Pointers”. The Southern Cross lies in the direction the two Pointers line up towards.

At the south-eastern corner of the cross lies the Coalsack, a dark nebula that looks like a black hole in the Milky Way and can be seen with the naked eye. Extend a line from the top star of the cross through the bottom star about 4.5 times the length of the cross, and you arrive near the south celestial pole. The Milky Way core lies towards Sagittarius; from Sekotong it is close to overhead, so lying on a mat makes it easier to take in.

How much do moonlight and cloud matter?

A lot. The Gunma Astronomical Observatory explains that around full moon, moonlight brightens the whole sky, making the faint glow of the Milky Way hard to see. The four stars of the Southern Cross are bright enough to find even on moonlit nights, but if you want to see them together with the Coalsack and the Milky Way, choose nights around the new moon.

According to the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, a first-quarter moon sets around midnight and a last-quarter moon rises around midnight. For early-evening viewing, aim for the period from the last quarter until a few days after the new moon; for viewing after midnight, from around the new moon until the first quarter. According to the observatory’s almanac, upcoming new moons include 11 October 2026 and 6 May, 5 June, 4 July and 2 August 2027 (these dates are given in Japan Standard Time, UTC+9, so in WITA the date can occasionally be one day earlier).

As for cloud, Lombok’s dry season runs from April to October and the wet season from November to March. According to long-term averages on the weather-data site WeatherSpark, the clearer part of the year in Mataram, Lombok’s main city, runs from around 1 May to around 21 October. Even so, in August, the clearest month, the sky is clear, mostly clear or partly cloudy only 50% of the time, and in January, the cloudiest month, it is cloudy 89% of the time (figures published as of September 2026). Even in the dry season, not every night is clear. For how to make the most of the wet season, see our guide to Lombok in the rainy season.

Is Sekotong really dark at night?

In a video on our team’s YouTube channel (published January 2026), Hiroki Nakamura, who runs a business in Sekotong, says that the Sekotong area is still rural with few lights at night, and that only the area around the facilities is lit up (at about 13:22). In the same video he also says that, unlike in town, Sekotong is an area where you can see the stars fairly clearly (at about 15:33).

That said, we could not confirm any figure for the brightness of Sekotong’s night sky. If you open Lombok on “Light Pollution Map”, a site that overlays satellite night-time imagery and other data on a map, you can compare the lights around Mataram, the provincial capital, with those around Sekotong for yourself. Lights from accommodation or cafés nearby make the sky look brighter, so choose a spot where you can face the southern sky with buildings’ lights behind you.

In a video on our team’s YouTube channel (published March 2026), Mr Nakamura says that Bali lies across the water from Semelar Beach, so you can see Mount Agung along with the sunset (at about 1:14:02). The sunset is in the western sky; the Southern Cross is in the south. After sunset it takes around 1 hour 15 minutes for the sky to become fully dark (calculated), so having dinner before heading out to the beach is about the right gap.

What should you prepare? Dark-adapting your eyes, red lights and insect repellent

First, let your eyes adjust to the dark. Japanese optics maker Kenko Tokina advises avoiding bright things for about 10 minutes to let your eyes get used to the dark. Vixen, another optics maker, explains that looking at bright white light makes your pupils contract, and that readjusting to the dark then takes anywhere from a few minutes to several tens of minutes. Every glance at your phone means starting over, so turn your screen brightness right down.

For lighting your way, red light is gentler on the eyes. Wrapping a torch in red cellophane dims the light so your eyes tire less in the dark. A headlamp with a red-light setting also leaves both hands free.

Don’t forget insect repellent. If you will be sitting or lying on the beach or on grass at night, put repellent on any exposed skin and wear long sleeves and long trousers. Mosquitoes and dengue on Lombok are covered in detail in our guide to mosquitoes and dengue on Lombok.

Figure: Checklist of conditions before you go stargazing

How should you set up your phone to photograph the night sky?

Whatever the phone, the key is to keep it still. Photographing stars keeps the shutter open for a long time, so handheld shots come out blurred. A tripod is best, but on sand, simply resting the phone on a flat stone or your bag makes a difference. As of September 2026, the manufacturers’ official help pages say the following.

On an iPhone, the camera switches to Night mode automatically in dark conditions. Tap the arrow above the viewfinder and move the slider above the shutter button to “Max” to lengthen the capture time. Apple advises placing the iPhone on a firm, stable surface or using a tripod. On a Google Pixel, using Night Sight with the phone fixed on a tripod or similar switches it automatically to Astrophotography mode. Google recommends starting star photography at least 45–90 minutes after sunset, somewhere with little city light.

On other phones, you can use a night mode or pro mode (a setting that lets you lengthen the exposure time manually) if there is one. Turn the flash off. The four stars of the Southern Cross are bright and photograph easily, but the Milky Way is harder to capture when there is moonlight or artificial light. We have not checked how each model performs.

What should you watch out for on a beach at night? Your footing and the tide

On a dark beach, it is hard to notice steps or things washed up on the sand. Light your footing while you walk, and switch the light off once you reach your spot. Don’t go into the sea at night, and don’t go alone. It is a good idea to let your accommodation know you are heading to the beach.

Keep an eye on the tide as well. According to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), high tides come 12 hours 25 minutes apart, so the tide times get later by about 50 minutes each day. A beach that was wide the night before can be narrow at the same time the next night. In a video on our team’s YouTube channel (published December 2025), Mr Nakamura also says that the sandbar islands off Sekotong become very small at high tide (at about 1:41). Check the high-tide time in a tide table during the day, and sit where the waves can’t reach.

We don’t recommend driving or riding a long way at night just to see the stars. Some roads in Sekotong have few streetlights, and it is safer to stargaze within walking distance of where you are staying.

To be honest, we don’t recommend coming to Lombok for the stars alone

To be honest, the Southern Cross is a small constellation, and the first time you see it, it may look smaller than you expected. Even in August, the clearest month, the sky is clear to partly cloudy only about half the time, so a stay of a few days can’t guarantee a sighting. In the wet season from December to February, the Southern Cross only appears late at night to before dawn, and it is also the cloudiest time of year. If your stay falls around the full moon, you will see very little of the Milky Way.

Even so, seeing the Southern Cross high in the sky (it never rises north of about 27°N), and from May to July together with the Milky Way core, is something that latitudes around 8°S offer. Stargazing suits people who have daytime plans such as the sea or island-hopping and want to add the night sky as an evening treat, and those who can shift their dates to match the new moon.

Summary

From Sekotong (about 8.7°S), the Southern Cross climbs to around 35–41° above the horizon when due south (calculated). It is almost the same from Bali.

The Southern Cross is easiest to see early in the evening from April to July, the Milky Way core from June to September, and you get both from May to July. Pick nights around the new moon, give your eyes at least 10 minutes to adjust, and allow two or more nights in case of cloud. On a dark beach, watch your footing and the tide, and it is safest to stargaze within walking distance of your accommodation.

Watch the video | Building a town in Sekotong, and our New Year update

Sources used in this article

• National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, “When and how can the Moon be seen? Can it be seen in the daytime?” (in Japanese; rising and setting times of the first-quarter, full and last-quarter moon)https://www.nao.ac.jp/faq/a0201.html
• NAOJ Ephemeris Computation Office, 2026 and 2027 almanac: phases of the Moon (in Japanese; new moon dates and times, Japan Standard Time)https://eco.mtk.nao.ac.jp/koyomi/yoko/2026/rekiyou263.html / https://eco.mtk.nao.ac.jp/koyomi/yoko/2027/rekiyou273.html
• Astro Arts, “Astronomy basics 14: The Milky Way” (in Japanese; Sagittarius lies towards the centre of the galaxy)https://www.astroarts.co.jp/alacarte/kiso/kiso14-j.shtml
• Gunma Astronomical Observatory, “Let’s see the Milky Way and the Tanabata stars” (in Japanese; moonlight around full moon makes the Milky Way hard to see)https://www.astron.pref.gunma.jp/events/0607amanogawa.html
• Wikipedia, “Crux” (magnitudes of the four stars, the Pointers, the Coalsack, the False Cross, finding the south celestial pole)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crux
• Wikipedia, “Acrux”, “Mimosa (star)”, “Gacrux”, “Delta Crucis”, “Sagittarius A*” (coordinates of the stars and of the galactic centre used in the calculations)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acrux and others
• EarthSky, “Meet Crux, the constellation of the Southern Cross” (does not rise north of 27°N, position of the Coalsack, the Pointers)https://earthsky.org/constellations/crux-the-southern-cross-jewel-box/
• Wikipedia, “West Lombok Regency”, “Denpasar”, “Lombok” (latitudes of West Lombok Regency and Denpasar, Central Indonesia Time UTC+8)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Lombok_Regency and others
• WeatherSpark, “Mataram Climate, Weather By Month” (long-term averages for the clearer and cloudier parts of the year in Mataram)https://weatherspark.com/y/130077/Average-Weather-in-Mataram-Indonesia-Year-Round
• Light Pollution Map (map of night-sky brightness based on satellite night-time imagery and other data; no figure for Sekotong could be confirmed)https://www.lightpollutionmap.info/
• Kenko Tokina, “Tips and precautions for stargazing” (in Japanese; about 10 minutes to adapt to the dark, red cellophane, insect protection, lighting your footing)https://www.kenko-tokina.co.jp/special/celestial/observation-note.html
• Vixen, “NightVision Light” release (in Japanese; red light is gentle on the eyes, re-adapting after white light takes minutes to tens of minutes)https://www.vixen.co.jp/post/160212a/
• Apple Support, “Use Night mode on your iPhone” (automatic Night mode, adjusting capture time, keeping the phone steady)https://support.apple.com/ja-jp/102519
• Pixel Camera Help, “Take photos in low light or at night” (Astrophotography mode, keeping the phone fixed, at least 45–90 minutes after sunset)https://support.google.com/pixelcamera/answer/9708795?hl=ja
• NOAA Ocean Service, “Tides and Water Levels: The Lunar Day” (12 hours 25 minutes between high tides, about 50 minutes later each day)https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/tutorial_tides/tides05_lunarday.html
• Indonesia Expat, “Stars over Bali” (the air is very clear once you leave the Denpasar area)https://indonesiaexpat.id/featured/stars-over-bali/
• Our team’s YouTube channel, “The view beyond town-building: a Sasak wedding on Lombok and our New Year update” (in Japanese; published January 2026. 13:22 few lights at night, 15:33 an area where the stars look fairly clear)https://youtu.be/-BP2-z79YMU
• Our team’s YouTube channel, “Is 1,000x in 20 years true? The truth about Seminyak, Bali, and Lombok’s potential” (in Japanese; published March 2026. 1:14:02 Bali lies across from the beach, with the sunset and Mount Agung)https://youtu.be/7DRBkMM1Sdk
• Our team’s YouTube channel, “Lombok inspection tour, part 2” (in Japanese; published December 2025. 1:41 the sandbar islands shrink at high tide)https://youtu.be/QYE0qIcd_cw
• About the calculations in this article: observing location near Sekotong (8.7°S, 116.0°E). Star coordinates (J2000.0) were precessed to their 2027 positions, and star and Sun altitudes were computed in 5-minute steps for the 15th of each month. “Fully dark sky” means the Sun is more than 18° below the horizon; the Southern Cross counts as visible when all four stars are above 15°, and the Milky Way core when the coordinates of Sagittarius A* are above 20°. Atmospheric refraction is not included.