OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

35.00°S, 138.59°EAustralia/Adelaide

Astronomical Twilight-15.3° (−12° to −18°)

05:04:26

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM7h 45m of true darkness · 10h 46m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset19:36

Civil Dusk20:03

Nautical20:34

Full Dark21:07

Nadir00:59

Dark Ends04:52

Nautical05:24

Civil Dawn05:56

Sunrise06:22

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-2.5°

DISTANCE379,846 km

Moonrise17:39

Moonset04:53

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/Adelaide

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Below Horizon	-4.3	-9.6°	121°	Libra	05:57	12:50	19:50	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Visible Low	-2.0	17.3°	58°	Leo	03:28	08:49	14:10	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Rising / Setting	0.3	8.0°	277°	Pisces	17:50	23:48	05:45	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Visible Low	1.0	20.3°	49°	Cancer	03:05	08:15	13:26	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-21.0°	138°	Libra	07:12	14:16	21:23	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Visible Low	5.6	28.7°	332°	Taurus	22:19	03:19	08:19	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Rising / Setting	7.8	3.1°	272°	Pisces	17:15	23:18	05:21	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

RISES17:39

BEST TIME22:48N · 54° high

SETS04:53

Reaches about 54° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · Good height

RISES03:28

BEST TIME08:49N · 41° high

SETS14:10

Reaches about 41° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES17:50

BEST TIME23:48N · 54° high

SETS05:45

Reaches about 54° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES05:57

BEST TIME12:50N · 73° high

SETS19:50

Reaches about 73° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · Good height

RISES03:05

BEST TIME08:15N · 37° high

SETS13:26

Reaches about 37° 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.