OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

36.83°S, 146.98°EAustralia/Sydney

Deep Astronomical Night-22.1° (< −18°)

04:16:04

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM7h 35m of true darkness · 10h 41m total night

DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset19:35

Civil Dusk20:02

Nautical20:35

Full Dark21:08

Nadir00:56

Dark Ends04:43

Nautical05:17

Civil Dawn05:49

Sunrise06:16

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION92%

ALTITUDE5.7°

DISTANCE380,139 km

Moonrise16:29

Moonset04:48

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX9% · Minimal Lunar Glare

Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

89/100

Exceptional Stargazing

Pristine dark skies with clear transparency. Ideal for astrophotography & faint deep sky targets.

CLOUD COVER15%

HUMIDITY50%

VISIBILITY18 km

DEW POINT10.8°C

PLANETARY EPHEMERIS & ALMANAC

Visible Planets Tonight

All times calibrated to Australia/Sydney

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Below Horizon	-4.3	-16.2°	129°	Libra	05:49	12:47	19:51	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Rising / Setting	-2.0	8.5°	65°	Leo	03:28	08:46	14:04	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	16.6°	285°	Pisces	17:47	23:44	05:42	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Visible Low	1.0	12.0°	57°	Cancer	03:05	08:12	13:19	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-25.0°	148°	Libra	07:04	14:12	21:24	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	30.5°	344°	Taurus	22:20	03:15	08:11	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	11.9°	279°	Pisces	17:11	23:14	05:17	Telescope

TONIGHT'S VIEWING SCHEDULE

When & Where to Look Tonight

A simple guide to when each object is above your horizon. No astronomy chart reading required.

BEST TIMEHighest in your sky

The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES16:29

BEST TIME22:43N · 52° high

SETS04:48

Reaches about 52° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · Good height

RISES03:28

BEST TIME08:46N · 39° high

SETS14:04

Reaches about 39° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES17:47

BEST TIME23:44N · 52° high

SETS05:42

Reaches about 52° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES05:49

BEST TIME12:47N · 71° high

SETS19:51

Reaches about 71° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · Good height

RISES03:05

BEST TIME08:12N · 35° high

SETS13:19

Reaches about 35° above the horizon at its highest point.Distinctive crimson hue; polar ice cap discernible near opposition.

OBSERVING LOG & TARGET LIST

Tonight's Prime Deep-Sky Targets

0 / 6 targets logged tonight

M31 / NGC 224 · Andromeda

Andromeda Galaxy

Spiral Galaxy (2.5M ly)

Our galactic neighbor; visible as a ghostly oval smudge with dense radiant stellar core.

M45 · Taurus

The Pleiades (Seven Sisters)

Open Star Cluster

Breathtaking blue diamond cluster enshrouded in delicate interstellar reflection nebulosity.

M42 / NGC 1976 · Orion

Great Orion Nebula

Diffuse Emission Nebula

Star nursery harboring the brilliant Trapezium cluster with sprawling bat-wing filaments.

NGC 869 & NGC 884 · Perseus

The Double Cluster

Twin Open Clusters

Pair of spectacular shimmering jewel-boxes bursting with ruby supergiant stars.

M13 / NGC 6205 · Hercules

Great Globular Cluster in Hercules

Globular Cluster (300k stars)

Massive beehive of ancient stars packed tightly together into a blazing central ball.

M57 / NGC 6720 · Lyra

The Ring Nebula

Planetary Nebula

Delicate glowing smoke-ring left behind by a dying star 2,500 light-years away.