OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

37.66°S, 144.93°EAustralia/Melbourne

Astronomical Twilight-16.9° (−12° to −18°)

04:52:32

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM7h 30m of true darkness · 10h 39m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset19:44

Civil Dusk20:12

Nautical20:45

Full Dark21:19

Nadir01:04

Dark Ends04:49

Nautical05:23

Civil Dawn05:56

Sunrise06:23

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE0.5°

DISTANCE380,002 km

Moonrise17:44

Moonset04:56

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX1% · Minimal Lunar Glare

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

81/100

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/Melbourne

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Below Horizon	-4.3	-11.1°	124°	Libra	05:56	12:55	20:01	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Visible Low	-2.0	13.1°	60°	Leo	03:37	08:54	14:10	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	10.9°	280°	Pisces	17:55	23:52	05:50	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Visible Low	1.0	16.1°	51°	Cancer	03:15	08:20	13:25	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-21.1°	142°	Libra	07:10	14:20	21:35	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Visible Low	5.6	27.8°	337°	Taurus	22:30	03:24	08:17	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Rising / Setting	7.8	6.2°	274°	Pisces	17:20	23:23	05:26	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

RISES17:44

BEST TIME22:52N · 51° high

SETS04:56

Reaches about 51° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · Good height

RISES03:37

BEST TIME08:54N · 38° high

SETS14:10

Reaches about 38° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES17:55

BEST TIME23:52N · 51° high

SETS05:50

Reaches about 51° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES05:56

BEST TIME12:55N · 70° high

SETS20:01

Reaches about 70° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · Good height

RISES03:15

BEST TIME08:20N · 35° high

SETS13:25

Reaches about 35° 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.