OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

31.97°S, 145.36°EAustralia/Sydney

Deep Astronomical Night-25.9° (< −18°)

04:17:17

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM8h 0m of true darkness · 10h 53m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset19:36

Civil Dusk20:01

Nautical20:31

Full Dark21:02

Nadir01:02

Dark Ends05:02

Nautical05:33

Civil Dawn06:04

Sunrise06:29

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION92%

ALTITUDE7.4°

DISTANCE380,134 km

Moonrise16:36

Moonset04:56

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX12% · Minimal Lunar Glare

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

88/100

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	-20.1°	129°	Libra	06:05	12:53	19:47	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Rising / Setting	-2.0	9.5°	66°	Leo	03:27	08:52	14:17	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	18.8°	284°	Pisces	17:53	23:51	05:49	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Visible Low	1.0	13.7°	58°	Cancer	03:02	08:18	13:34	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-29.8°	148°	Libra	07:22	14:19	21:19	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	35.5°	344°	Taurus	22:15	03:22	08:29	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	13.7°	278°	Pisces	17:18	23:21	05:24	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

RISES16:36

BEST TIME22:50N · 57° high

SETS04:56

Reaches about 57° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · Good height

RISES03:27

BEST TIME08:52N · 44° high

SETS14:17

Reaches about 44° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES17:53

BEST TIME23:51N · 57° high

SETS05:49

Reaches about 57° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES06:05

BEST TIME12:53N · 76° high

SETS19:47

Reaches about 76° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · Good height

RISES03:02

BEST TIME08:18N · 40° high

SETS13:34

Reaches about 40° 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.