OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

33.93°S, 117.04°EAustralia/Sydney

Deep Astronomical Night-43.7° (< −18°)

03:23:00

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM7h 51m of true darkness · 10h 48m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset21:31

Civil Dusk21:57

Nautical22:28

Full Dark23:00

Nadir02:55

Dark Ends06:51

Nautical07:23

Civil Dawn07:54

Sunrise08:20

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION92%

ALTITUDE39.1°

DISTANCE380,338 km

Moonrise18:34

Moonset06:51

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX58% · 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/Sydney

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Below Horizon	-4.3	-37.1°	170°	Libra	07:55	14:46	21:44	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-24.7°	89°	Leo	05:23	10:45	16:11	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Optimal Visibility	0.3	47.7°	322°	Pisces	19:46	01:44	07:42	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-19.4°	81°	Cancer	04:59	10:11	15:25	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-33.4°	194°	Libra	09:10	16:15	23:17	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Visible Low	5.6	28.9°	30°	Taurus	00:12	05:15	10:17	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Optimal Visibility	7.8	44.9°	311°	Pisces	19:11	01:14	07:17	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

RISES18:34

BEST TIME00:47N · 55° high

SETS06:51

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

JupiterNaked Eye · Good height

RISES05:23

BEST TIME10:45N · 42° high

SETS16:11

Reaches about 42° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES19:46

BEST TIME01:44N · 55° high

SETS07:42

Reaches about 55° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES07:55

BEST TIME14:46N · 74° high

SETS21:44

Reaches about 74° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · Good height

RISES04:59

BEST TIME10:11N · 38° high

SETS15:25

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.