OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

37.69°S, 144.43°EAustralia/Melbourne

Astronomical Twilight-16.2° (−12° to −18°)

04:58:27

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

Sunset19:47

Civil Dusk20:14

Nautical20:47

Full Dark21:21

Nadir01:06

Dark Ends04:51

Nautical05:25

Civil Dawn05:58

Sunrise06:25

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE-0.2°

DISTANCE379,980 km

Moonrise17:46

Moonset04:58

HorizonBelow

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX0% · Minimal Lunar Glare

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

82/100

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	-10.4°	123°	Libra	05:58	12:57	20:03	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Visible Low	-2.0	13.7°	59°	Leo	03:39	08:56	14:12	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	10.2°	280°	Pisces	17:57	23:54	05:52	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Visible Low	1.0	16.7°	51°	Cancer	03:17	08:22	13:27	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-20.6°	141°	Libra	07:12	14:22	21:37	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Visible Low	5.6	27.5°	336°	Taurus	22:32	03:26	08:19	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Rising / Setting	7.8	5.5°	274°	Pisces	17:22	23:25	05:28	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

RISES17:46

BEST TIME22:54N · 51° high

SETS04:58

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

JupiterNaked Eye · Good height

RISES03:39

BEST TIME08:56N · 38° high

SETS14:12

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

RISES17:57

BEST TIME23:54N · 51° high

SETS05:52

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

RISES05:58

BEST TIME12:57N · 70° high

SETS20:03

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

MarsNaked Eye · Good height

RISES03:17

BEST TIME08:22N · 35° high

SETS13:27

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.