OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

30.78°S, 121.49°EAustralia/Perth

Deep Astronomical Night-29.7° (< −18°)

02:34:25

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM8h 6m of true darkness · 10h 56m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset18:10

Civil Dusk18:35

Nautical19:04

Full Dark19:35

Nadir23:38

Dark Ends03:41

Nautical04:11

Civil Dawn04:41

Sunrise05:06

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE11.7°

DISTANCE379,846 km

Moonrise15:16

Moonset03:33

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX19% · Minimal Lunar Glare

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

85/100

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/Perth

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Below Horizon	-4.3	-23.8°	132°	Libra	04:43	11:28	18:20	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Rising / Setting	-2.0	6.4°	69°	Leo	02:00	07:27	12:54	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	22.9°	286°	Pisces	16:28	22:26	04:24	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Visible Low	1.0	10.9°	61°	Cancer	01:35	06:54	12:12	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-32.7°	152°	Libra	05:59	12:54	19:52	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	37.5°	349°	Taurus	20:48	01:57	07:06	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	17.7°	280°	Pisces	15:54	21:56	03:59	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

RISES15:16

BEST TIME21:29N · 58° high

SETS03:33

Reaches about 58° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · Good height

RISES02:00

BEST TIME07:27N · 45° high

SETS12:54

Reaches about 45° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES16:28

BEST TIME22:26N · 58° high

SETS04:24

Reaches about 58° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES04:43

BEST TIME11:28N · 77° high

SETS18:20

Reaches about 77° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · Good height

RISES01:35

BEST TIME06:54N · 41° high

SETS12:12

Reaches about 41° 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.