OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

28.22°S, 152.03°EAustralia/Brisbane

Nautical Twilight-8.1° (−6° to −12°)

04:29:43

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM8h 17m of true darkness · 11h 2m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset18:05

Civil Dusk18:29

Nautical18:58

Full Dark19:27

Nadir23:36

Dark Ends03:44

Nautical04:13

Civil Dawn04:42

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

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE-13.2°

DISTANCE379,863 km

Moonrise16:09

Moonset03:29

HorizonBelow

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX0% · Minimal Lunar Glare

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

72/100

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	-3.3°	113°	Libra	04:46	11:27	18:14	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Visible Low	-2.0	29.7°	51°	Leo	01:55	07:25	12:56	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Below Horizon	0.3	-1.4°	271°	Pisces	16:21	22:24	04:23	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Optimal Visibility	1.0	32.5°	41°	Cancer	01:29	06:52	12:14	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-17.8°	127°	Libra	06:03	12:52	19:45	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Visible Low	5.6	28.3°	319°	Taurus	20:41	01:55	07:10	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Below Horizon	7.8	-7.1°	265°	Pisces	15:48	21:54	03:57	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

RISES16:09

BEST TIME21:23N · 61° high

SETS03:29

Reaches about 61° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:55

BEST TIME07:25N · 47° high

SETS12:56

Reaches about 47° 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 TIME22:24N · 60° high

SETS04:23

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

VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES04:46

BEST TIME11:27N · 80° high

SETS18:14

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

MarsNaked Eye · Good height

RISES01:29

BEST TIME06:52N · 44° high

SETS12:14

Reaches about 44° 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.