OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

33.65°S, 115.04°EAustralia/Perth

Deep Astronomical Night-41.9° (< −18°)

01:09:11

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM7h 52m of true darkness · 10h 49m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset18:39

Civil Dusk19:05

Nautical19:36

Full Dark20:07

Nadir00:03

Dark Ends03:59

Nautical04:31

Civil Dawn05:02

Sunrise05:28

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION92%

ALTITUDE32.7°

DISTANCE380,164 km

Moonrise15:43

Moonset03:59

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX50% · Moderate Lunar Glow

Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

74/100

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/Perth

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Below Horizon	-4.3	-35.2°	159°	Libra	05:03	11:54	18:51	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-16.7°	84°	Leo	02:30	07:53	13:19	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Optimal Visibility	0.3	42.3°	310°	Pisces	16:54	22:52	04:50	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-11.5°	76°	Cancer	02:06	07:19	12:32	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-34.9°	184°	Libra	06:19	13:23	20:24	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	32.6°	21°	Taurus	21:20	02:23	07:26	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Optimal Visibility	7.8	38.6°	301°	Pisces	16:19	22:22	04:25	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

RISES15:43

BEST TIME21:55N · 55° high

SETS03:59

Reaches about 55° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.

JupiterNaked Eye · Good height

RISES02:30

BEST TIME07:53N · 42° high

SETS13:19

Reaches about 42° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES16:54

BEST TIME22:52N · 55° high

SETS04:50

Reaches about 55° 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 TIME11:54N · 74° high

SETS18:51

Reaches about 74° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · Good height

RISES02:06

BEST TIME07:19N · 39° high

SETS12:32

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.