OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

33.22°S, 151.53°EAustralia/Sydney

Astronomical Twilight-13.0° (−12° to −18°)

04:58:56

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM7h 54m of true darkness · 10h 50m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset19:12

Civil Dusk19:38

Nautical20:09

Full Dark20:40

Nadir00:37

Dark Ends04:35

Nautical05:06

Civil Dawn05:37

Sunrise06:03

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE-6.0°

DISTANCE379,978 km

Moonrise17:14

Moonset04:30

HorizonBelow

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX0% · Minimal Lunar Glare

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

82/100

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	-7.6°	118°	Libra	05:38	12:29	19:25	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Visible Low	-2.0	21.1°	55°	Leo	03:04	08:27	13:51	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Rising / Setting	0.3	5.0°	275°	Pisces	17:28	23:26	05:24	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Visible Low	1.0	24.0°	46°	Cancer	02:40	07:54	13:07	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-19.9°	134°	Libra	06:54	13:54	20:58	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Visible Low	5.6	28.6°	327°	Taurus	21:53	02:57	08:01	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Rising / Setting	7.8	0.1°	269°	Pisces	16:50	22:56	04:59	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

RISES17:14

BEST TIME22:25N · 56° high

SETS04:30

Reaches about 56° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · Good height

RISES03:04

BEST TIME08:27N · 42° high

SETS13:51

Reaches about 42° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES17:28

BEST TIME23:26N · 55° high

SETS05:24

Reaches about 55° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES05:38

BEST TIME12:29N · 75° high

SETS19:25

Reaches about 75° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · Good height

RISES02:40

BEST TIME07:54N · 39° high

SETS13:07

Reaches about 39° 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.