OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

32.92°S, 151.76°EAustralia/Sydney

Deep Astronomical Night-20.4° (< −18°)

04:19:07

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM7h 56m of true darkness · 10h 51m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset19:11

Civil Dusk19:37

Nautical20:07

Full Dark20:39

Nadir00:37

Dark Ends04:35

Nautical05:06

Civil Dawn05:36

Sunrise06:02

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE1.7°

DISTANCE380,127 km

Moonrise17:12

Moonset04:29

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX3% · Minimal Lunar Glare

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

91/100

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/Sydney

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Below Horizon	-4.3	-14.8°	124°	Libra	05:38	12:28	19:24	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Visible Low	-2.0	14.3°	62°	Leo	03:03	08:27	13:50	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	13.0°	280°	Pisces	17:27	23:25	05:23	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Visible Low	1.0	18.0°	54°	Cancer	02:38	07:53	13:07	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-25.6°	142°	Libra	06:54	13:53	20:56	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	32.6°	337°	Taurus	21:52	02:56	08:01	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Rising / Setting	7.8	7.8°	275°	Pisces	16:53	22:55	04:58	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

RISES17:12

BEST TIME22:24N · 56° high

SETS04:29

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

JupiterNaked Eye · Good height

RISES03:03

BEST TIME08:27N · 43° high

SETS13:50

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

RISES17:27

BEST TIME23:25N · 56° high

SETS05:23

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

RISES05:38

BEST TIME12:28N · 75° high

SETS19:24

Reaches about 75° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · Good height

RISES02:38

BEST TIME07:53N · 39° high

SETS13:07

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.