OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

27.53°S, 152.44°EAustralia/Brisbane

Deep Astronomical Night-30.4° (< −18°)

02:37:40

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

Sunset18:02

Civil Dusk18:26

Nautical18:55

Full Dark19:24

Nadir23:34

Dark Ends03:44

Nautical04:13

Civil Dawn04:41

Sunrise05:06

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION92%

ALTITUDE10.2°

DISTANCE380,283 km

Moonrise15:07

Moonset03:28

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/Brisbane

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Below Horizon	-4.3	-24.8°	129°	Libra	04:45	11:25	18:11	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Rising / Setting	-2.0	8.9°	69°	Leo	01:53	07:24	12:55	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	22.3°	284°	Pisces	16:24	22:22	04:21	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Visible Low	1.0	13.8°	61°	Cancer	01:26	06:50	12:14	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-34.9°	150°	Libra	06:03	12:50	19:42	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	40.4°	347°	Taurus	20:38	01:54	07:09	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	16.7°	279°	Pisces	15:50	21:53	03:55	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

RISES15:07

BEST TIME21:21N · 62° high

SETS03:28

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

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:53

BEST TIME07:24N · 48° high

SETS12:55

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

RISES16:24

BEST TIME22:22N · 61° high

SETS04:21

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

RISES04:45

BEST TIME11:25N · 80° high

SETS18:11

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

MarsNaked Eye · Good height

RISES01:26

BEST TIME06:50N · 45° high

SETS12:14

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.