OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

33.43°S, 149.56°EAustralia/Sydney

Deep Astronomical Night-23.4° (< −18°)

04:09:45

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM7h 53m of true darkness · 10h 50m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset19:20

Civil Dusk19:46

Nautical20:17

Full Dark20:49

Nadir00:45

Dark Ends04:42

Nautical05:14

Civil Dawn05:44

Sunrise06:10

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION92%

ALTITUDE5.3°

DISTANCE380,162 km

Moonrise16:19

Moonset04:38

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX8% · Minimal Lunar Glare

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

89/100

Exceptional Stargazing

Pristine dark skies with clear transparency. Ideal for astrophotography & faint deep sky targets.

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	-17.6°	127°	Libra	05:46	12:36	19:34	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Visible Low	-2.0	10.6°	65°	Leo	03:12	08:35	13:58	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	16.6°	283°	Pisces	17:36	23:34	05:32	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Visible Low	1.0	14.6°	57°	Cancer	02:48	08:01	13:15	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-27.5°	147°	Libra	07:01	14:02	21:06	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	33.5°	342°	Taurus	22:02	03:05	08:09	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	11.5°	277°	Pisces	17:01	23:04	05:07	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

RISES16:19

BEST TIME22:33N · 56° high

SETS04:38

Reaches about 56° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · Good height

RISES03:12

BEST TIME08:35N · 42° high

SETS13:58

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

RISES17:36

BEST TIME23:34N · 55° high

SETS05:32

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

RISES05:46

BEST TIME12:36N · 74° high

SETS19:34

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

MarsNaked Eye · Good height

RISES02:48

BEST TIME08:01N · 39° high

SETS13:15

Reaches about 39° 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.