OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

42.90°S, 147.46°EAustralia/Hobart

Deep Astronomical Night-27.2° (< −18°)

03:07:00

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM6h 53m of true darkness · 10h 23m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset19:42

Civil Dusk20:12

Nautical20:48

Full Dark21:27

Nadir00:54

Dark Ends04:20

Nautical04:59

Civil Dawn05:35

Sunrise06:05

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION92%

ALTITUDE16.6°

DISTANCE380,398 km

Moonrise16:26

Moonset04:45

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX26% · Moderate Lunar Glow

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

83/100

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/Hobart

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Below Horizon	-4.3	-20.7°	144°	Libra	05:33	12:45	20:03	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-5.2°	76°	Leo	03:36	08:44	13:51	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	26.3°	300°	Pisces	17:46	23:42	05:39	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-1.6°	67°	Cancer	03:17	08:10	13:03	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-24.5°	166°	Libra	06:45	14:10	21:40	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Visible Low	5.6	26.1°	2°	Taurus	22:34	03:13	07:53	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	22.7°	292°	Pisces	17:09	23:13	05:16	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

RISES16:26

BEST TIME22:42N · 46° high

SETS04:45

Reaches about 46° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.

JupiterNaked Eye · Good height

RISES03:36

BEST TIME08:44N · 33° high

SETS13:51

Reaches about 33° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES17:46

BEST TIME23:42N · 46° high

SETS05:39

Reaches about 46° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES05:33

BEST TIME12:45N · 65° high

SETS20:03

Reaches about 65° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · Good height

RISES03:17

BEST TIME08:10N · 29° high

SETS13:03

Reaches about 29° 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.