OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

27.52°S, 152.89°EAustralia/Brisbane

Deep Astronomical Night-35.2° (< −18°)

02:08:54

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM8h 20m of true darkness · 11h 3m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset18:00

Civil Dusk18:25

Nautical18:53

Full Dark19:22

Nadir23:32

Dark Ends03:42

Nautical04:11

Civil Dawn04:40

Sunrise05:04

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION92%

ALTITUDE15.9°

DISTANCE380,391 km

Moonrise15:06

Moonset03:26

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX25% · Minimal Lunar Glare

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

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/Brisbane

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Below Horizon	-4.3	-29.3°	134°	Libra	04:43	11:23	18:10	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Rising / Setting	-2.0	3.4°	72°	Leo	01:51	07:22	12:53	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	28.1°	288°	Pisces	16:22	22:21	04:19	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Rising / Setting	1.0	8.5°	65°	Cancer	01:25	06:48	12:12	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-37.6°	157°	Libra	06:01	12:49	19:40	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	41.4°	355°	Taurus	20:36	01:52	07:08	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	22.6°	282°	Pisces	15:49	21:51	03:53	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

RISES15:06

BEST TIME21:19N · 62° high

SETS03:26

Reaches about 62° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:51

BEST TIME07:22N · 48° high

SETS12:53

Reaches about 48° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES16:22

BEST TIME22:21N · 61° high

SETS04:19

Reaches about 61° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES04:43

BEST TIME11:23N · 80° high

SETS18:10

Reaches about 80° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · Good height

RISES01:25

BEST TIME06:48N · 45° high

SETS12:12

Reaches about 45° 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.