OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

27.60°S, 153.08°EAustralia/Brisbane

Astronomical Twilight-17.6° (−12° to −18°)

03:40:51

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 Dusk18:24

Nautical18:52

Full Dark19:22

Nadir23:31

Dark Ends03:41

Nautical04:10

Civil Dawn04:39

Sunrise05:03

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-3.5°

DISTANCE380,046 km

Moonrise16:04

Moonset03:25

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/Brisbane

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Below Horizon	-4.3	-12.6°	119°	Libra	04:42	11:22	18:09	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Visible Low	-2.0	21.9°	59°	Leo	01:50	07:21	12:52	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Rising / Setting	0.3	8.0°	276°	Pisces	16:21	22:20	04:18	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Visible Low	1.0	25.8°	50°	Cancer	01:24	06:47	12:11	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-25.8°	135°	Libra	06:00	12:48	19:39	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	34.7°	329°	Taurus	20:35	01:51	07:07	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Rising / Setting	7.8	2.4°	271°	Pisces	15:48	21:50	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

RISES16:04

BEST TIME21:18N · 62° high

SETS03:25

Reaches about 62° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:50

BEST TIME07:21N · 48° high

SETS12:52

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

RISES16:21

BEST TIME22:20N · 61° high

SETS04:18

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

RISES04:42

BEST TIME11:22N · 80° high

SETS18:09

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

MarsNaked Eye · Good height

RISES01:24

BEST TIME06:47N · 45° high

SETS12:11

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.