OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

34.48°S, 150.85°EAustralia/Sydney

Deep Astronomical Night-31.5° (< −18°)

03:10:20

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM7h 48m of true darkness · 10h 47m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset19:17

Civil Dusk19:43

Nautical20:14

Full Dark20:46

Nadir00:40

Dark Ends04:34

Nautical05:06

Civil Dawn05:38

Sunrise06:04

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION92%

ALTITUDE15.9°

DISTANCE380,385 km

Moonrise16:13

Moonset04:33

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX25% · Minimal Lunar Glare

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

83/100

Good Stargazing

Fine observing conditions. Open star clusters and nebulae will exhibit crisp structure.

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	-25.3°	138°	Libra	05:39	12:31	19:31	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Rising / Setting	-2.0	0.2°	73°	Leo	03:09	08:30	13:52	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	27.0°	293°	Pisces	17:31	23:29	05:27	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Rising / Setting	1.0	4.3°	65°	Cancer	02:45	07:56	13:08	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-31.6°	160°	Libra	06:54	13:57	21:03	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	34.5°	357°	Taurus	21:59	03:00	08:01	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	22.4°	286°	Pisces	16:56	22:59	05:02	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

RISES16:13

BEST TIME22:28N · 55° high

SETS04:33

Reaches about 55° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · Good height

RISES03:09

BEST TIME08:30N · 41° high

SETS13:52

Reaches about 41° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES17:31

BEST TIME23:29N · 54° high

SETS05:27

Reaches about 54° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES05:39

BEST TIME12:31N · 73° high

SETS19:31

Reaches about 73° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · Good height

RISES02:45

BEST TIME07:56N · 38° high

SETS13:08

Reaches about 38° 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.