OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

31.77°S, 115.82°EAustralia/Perth

Deep Astronomical Night-45.6° (< −18°)

00:33:48

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM8h 1m of true darkness · 10h 54m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset18:34

Civil Dusk18:59

Nautical19:29

Full Dark20:00

Nadir00:00

Dark Ends04:01

Nautical04:32

Civil Dawn05:02

Sunrise05:27

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION92%

ALTITUDE39.4°

DISTANCE380,297 km

Moonrise15:40

Moonset03:56

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX59% · Moderate Lunar Glow

Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

71/100

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/Perth

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Below Horizon	-4.3	-39.0°	168°	Libra	05:04	11:51	18:45	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-23.4°	87°	Leo	02:25	07:50	13:19	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Optimal Visibility	0.3	48.5°	318°	Pisces	16:50	22:49	04:47	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-17.8°	80°	Cancer	02:00	07:16	12:34	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-35.8°	193°	Libra	06:20	13:20	20:17	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	31.4°	29°	Taurus	21:13	02:20	07:27	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Optimal Visibility	7.8	45.3°	308°	Pisces	16:16	22:19	04:21	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

RISES15:40

BEST TIME21:52N · 57° high

SETS03:56

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

JupiterNaked Eye · Good height

RISES02:25

BEST TIME07:50N · 44° high

SETS13:19

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

RISES16:50

BEST TIME22:49N · 57° high

SETS04:47

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

RISES05:04

BEST TIME11:51N · 76° high

SETS18:45

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

MarsNaked Eye · Good height

RISES02:00

BEST TIME07:16N · 40° high

SETS12:34

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.