OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

20.74°S, 116.82°EAustralia/Perth

Deep Astronomical Night-51.6° (< −18°)

01:19:03

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM8h 44m of true darkness · 11h 17m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset18:18

Civil Dusk18:41

Nautical19:07

Full Dark19:34

Nadir23:56

Dark Ends04:18

Nautical04:46

Civil Dawn05:12

Sunrise05:35

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE34.4°

DISTANCE380,127 km

Moonrise15:36

Moonset03:55

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX52% · Moderate Lunar Glow

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

74/100

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	-45.2°	149°	Libra	05:18	11:47	18:22	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-10.9°	79°	Leo	02:07	07:46	13:29	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Optimal Visibility	0.3	46.2°	296°	Pisces	16:45	22:45	04:44	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-4.3°	73°	Cancer	01:38	07:12	12:46	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-48.0°	179°	Libra	06:38	13:13	19:51	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	46.0°	19°	Taurus	20:47	02:16	07:44	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Optimal Visibility	7.8	40.6°	288°	Pisces	16:13	22:15	04:17	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

RISES15:36

BEST TIME21:48N · 68° high

SETS03:55

Reaches about 68° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES02:07

BEST TIME07:46N · 55° high

SETS13:29

Reaches about 55° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES16:45

BEST TIME22:45N · 68° high

SETS04:44

Reaches about 68° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES05:18

BEST TIME11:47N · 87° high

SETS18:22

Reaches about 87° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:38

BEST TIME07:12N · 51° high

SETS12:46

Reaches about 51° 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.