OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

32.34°S, 115.75°EAustralia/Perth

Deep Astronomical Night-27.3° (< −18°)

03:06:04

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM7h 58m of true darkness · 10h 52m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset18:34

Civil Dusk19:00

Nautical19:30

Full Dark20:01

Nadir00:01

Dark Ends04:00

Nautical04:31

Civil Dawn05:01

Sunrise05:27

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE9.7°

DISTANCE379,728 km

Moonrise15:40

Moonset03:56

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	-21.4°	130°	Libra	05:03	11:51	18:46	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Rising / Setting	-2.0	7.5°	68°	Leo	02:26	07:50	13:15	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	20.7°	286°	Pisces	16:51	22:49	04:47	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Visible Low	1.0	11.8°	60°	Cancer	02:01	07:17	12:32	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-30.4°	151°	Libra	06:19	13:17	20:18	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	35.6°	347°	Taurus	21:14	02:20	07:26	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	15.6°	280°	Pisces	16:16	22:19	04:22	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

RISES15:40

BEST TIME21:52N · 56° high

SETS03:56

Reaches about 56° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · Good height

RISES02:26

BEST TIME07:50N · 43° high

SETS13:15

Reaches about 43° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES16:51

BEST TIME22:49N · 56° high

SETS04:47

Reaches about 56° 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 TIME11:51N · 76° high

SETS18:46

Reaches about 76° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · Good height

RISES02:01

BEST TIME07:17N · 40° high

SETS12:32

Reaches about 40° 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.