OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

34.60°S, 147.14°EAustralia/Sydney

Deep Astronomical Night-26.3° (< −18°)

03:57:53

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

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

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset19:32

Civil Dusk19:58

Nautical20:29

Full Dark21:01

Nadir00:55

Dark Ends04:49

Nautical05:21

Civil Dawn05:52

Sunrise06:18

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION92%

ALTITUDE9.4°

DISTANCE380,207 km

Moonrise16:29

Moonset04:48

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX15% · Minimal Lunar Glare

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

87/100

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	-20.4°	132°	Libra	05:53	12:46	19:46	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Rising / Setting	-2.0	6.1°	68°	Leo	03:24	08:45	14:06	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	20.6°	287°	Pisces	17:46	23:44	05:41	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Visible Low	1.0	10.2°	60°	Cancer	03:00	08:11	13:22	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-28.7°	152°	Libra	07:08	14:12	21:18	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	33.5°	348°	Taurus	22:14	03:15	08:16	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	15.8°	281°	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 · 55° high

SETS04:48

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

JupiterNaked Eye · Good height

RISES03:24

BEST TIME08:45N · 41° high

SETS14:06

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

RISES17:46

BEST TIME23:44N · 54° high

SETS05:41

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

RISES05:53

BEST TIME12:46N · 73° high

SETS19:46

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

MarsNaked Eye · Good height

RISES03:00

BEST TIME08:11N · 38° high

SETS13:22

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.