OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

33.64°S, 115.15°EAustralia/Perth

Deep Astronomical Night-26.8° (< −18°)

03:06:44

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM7h 52m of true darkness · 10h 49m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset18:38

Civil Dusk19:04

Nautical19:35

Full Dark20:07

Nadir00:03

Dark Ends03:59

Nautical04:31

Civil Dawn05:02

Sunrise05:28

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE9.9°

DISTANCE379,725 km

Moonrise15:42

Moonset03:59

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX16% · Minimal Lunar Glare

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

86/100

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/Perth

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Below Horizon	-4.3	-20.8°	131°	Libra	05:03	11:54	18:51	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Rising / Setting	-2.0	6.7°	68°	Leo	02:30	07:53	13:15	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	20.6°	286°	Pisces	16:53	22:51	04:49	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Visible Low	1.0	10.8°	60°	Cancer	02:06	07:19	12:32	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-29.5°	151°	Libra	06:18	13:19	20:24	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	34.4°	348°	Taurus	21:19	02:22	07:25	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	15.7°	280°	Pisces	16:19	22:21	04:24	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

RISES15:42

BEST TIME21:55N · 55° high

SETS03:59

Reaches about 55° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · Good height

RISES02:30

BEST TIME07:53N · 42° high

SETS13:15

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

RISES16:53

BEST TIME22:51N · 55° high

SETS04:49

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

RISES05:03

BEST TIME11:54N · 74° high

SETS18:51

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

MarsNaked Eye · Good height

RISES02:06

BEST TIME07:19N · 39° high

SETS12:32

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.