OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

34.84°S, 138.49°EAustralia/Adelaide

Deep Astronomical Night-29.3° (< −18°)

03:42:25

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

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

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset19:37

Civil Dusk20:03

Nautical20:34

Full Dark21:07

Nadir01:00

Dark Ends04:53

Nautical05:25

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

ILLUMINATION92%

ALTITUDE13.5°

DISTANCE380,152 km

Moonrise16:35

Moonset04:53

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX22% · Minimal Lunar Glare

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

84/100

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/Adelaide

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Below Horizon	-4.3	-23.2°	136°	Libra	05:57	12:51	19:50	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Rising / Setting	-2.0	2.3°	71°	Leo	03:29	08:49	14:10	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	24.4°	290°	Pisces	17:50	23:48	05:46	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Rising / Setting	1.0	6.5°	63°	Cancer	03:05	08:16	13:26	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-30.3°	157°	Libra	07:12	14:16	21:23	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	33.9°	354°	Taurus	22:19	03:19	08:20	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	19.7°	284°	Pisces	17:15	23:18	05:21	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

RISES16:35

BEST TIME22:48N · 54° high

SETS04:53

Reaches about 54° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · Good height

RISES03:29

BEST TIME08:49N · 41° high

SETS14:10

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

RISES17:50

BEST TIME23:48N · 54° high

SETS05:46

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

RISES05:57

BEST TIME12:51N · 73° high

SETS19:50

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

MarsNaked Eye · Good height

RISES03:05

BEST TIME08:16N · 37° high

SETS13:26

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.