OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

34.93°S, 117.38°EAustralia/Sydney

Deep Astronomical Night-27.0° (< −18°)

05:51:08

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM7h 45m of true darkness · 10h 46m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset21:31

Civil Dusk21:57

Nautical22:29

Full Dark23:01

Nadir02:54

Dark Ends06:47

Nautical07:19

Civil Dawn07:51

Sunrise08:17

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE10.9°

DISTANCE379,783 km

Moonrise18:33

Moonset06:49

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX18% · 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/Sydney

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Below Horizon	-4.3	-21.0°	133°	Libra	07:51	14:45	21:45	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Rising / Setting	-2.0	5.0°	69°	Leo	05:23	10:44	16:05	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	21.6°	288°	Pisces	19:45	01:42	07:40	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Rising / Setting	1.0	9.0°	61°	Cancer	05:00	10:10	15:21	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-29.0°	153°	Libra	09:06	16:10	23:18	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	33.4°	350°	Taurus	00:13	05:13	10:14	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	16.8°	282°	Pisces	19:10	01:13	07:15	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

RISES18:33

BEST TIME00:46N · 54° high

SETS06:49

Reaches about 54° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · Good height

RISES05:23

BEST TIME10:44N · 41° high

SETS16:05

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

RISES19:45

BEST TIME01:42N · 54° high

SETS07:40

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

RISES07:51

BEST TIME14:45N · 73° high

SETS21:45

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

MarsNaked Eye · Good height

RISES05:00

BEST TIME10:10N · 37° high

SETS15:21

Reaches about 37° 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.