OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

29.46°S, 149.84°EAustralia/Sydney

Nautical Twilight-8.7° (−6° to −12°)

05:33:51

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM8h 12m of true darkness · 10h 59m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset19:15

Civil Dusk19:39

Nautical20:08

Full Dark20:38

Nadir00:44

Dark Ends04:50

Nautical05:20

Civil Dawn05:49

Sunrise06:14

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-12.1°

DISTANCE379,848 km

Moonrise17:19

Moonset04:38

HorizonBelow

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX0% · Minimal Lunar Glare

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

72/100

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	-3.7°	113°	Libra	05:52	12:35	19:25	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Visible Low	-2.0	28.1°	51°	Leo	03:06	08:34	14:03	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Below Horizon	0.3	-0.4°	271°	Pisces	17:34	23:33	05:31	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Optimal Visibility	1.0	30.9°	42°	Cancer	02:40	08:00	13:21	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-17.9°	128°	Libra	07:09	14:01	20:56	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Visible Low	5.6	28.0°	320°	Taurus	21:52	03:04	08:16	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Below Horizon	7.8	-6.0°	266°	Pisces	16:57	23:03	05:06	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

RISES17:19

BEST TIME22:32N · 60° high

SETS04:38

Reaches about 60° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES03:06

BEST TIME08:34N · 46° high

SETS14:03

Reaches about 46° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES17:34

BEST TIME23:33N · 59° high

SETS05:31

Reaches about 59° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES05:52

BEST TIME12:35N · 78° high

SETS19:25

Reaches about 78° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · Good height

RISES02:40

BEST TIME08:00N · 43° high

SETS13:21

Reaches about 43° 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.