Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Civil Twilight-4.0° (0° to −6°)
18:36:41
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 8m of true darkness · 13h 33m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:13
Civil Dusk18:44
Nautical19:20
Full Dark19:55
Nadir01:00
Dark Ends06:03
Nautical06:39
Civil Dawn07:15
Sunrise07:46
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE17.1°
DISTANCE380,286 km
Moonrise16:48
Moonset05:34
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX27% · Moderate Lunar Glow
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
47/100
Partial haze or lunar wash. Bright clusters, double stars, and prominent planets remain well visible.
CLOUD COVER15%
HUMIDITY50%
VISIBILITY18 km
DEW POINT10.8°C
| PLANET | STATUS | MAGNITUDE | ALTITUDE | AZIMUTH | CONSTELLATION | RISE | TRANSIT | SET | EQUIPMENT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venus♀ | Below Horizon | -4.3 | -9.9° | 255° | Libra | 08:14 | 12:54 | 17:34 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -21.0° | 325° | Leo | 01:40 | 08:51 | 15:58 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Rising / Setting | 0.3 | 9.5° | 98° | Pisces | 17:37 | 23:46 | 05:54 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -20.6° | 335° | Cancer | 00:49 | 08:16 | 15:41 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Rising / Setting | 0.4 | 0.8° | 238° | Libra | 09:52 | 14:18 | 18:43 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -8.0° | 46° | Taurus | 19:36 | 03:17 | 11:02 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 13.1° | 105° | Pisces | 17:16 | 23:16 | 05:17 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES16:48
BEST TIME23:04S · 45° high
SETS05:34
Reaches about 45° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:40
BEST TIME08:51S · 57° high
SETS15:58
Reaches about 57° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:37
BEST TIME23:46S · 44° high
SETS05:54
Reaches about 44° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:14
BEST TIME12:54S · 25° high
SETS17:34
Reaches about 25° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:49
BEST TIME08:16S · 61° high
SETS15:41
Reaches about 61° above the horizon at its highest point.Distinctive crimson hue; polar ice cap discernible near opposition.
M31 / NGC 224 · Andromeda
Spiral Galaxy (2.5M ly)Andromeda Galaxy
Our galactic neighbor; visible as a ghostly oval smudge with dense radiant stellar core.
M45 · Taurus
Open Star ClusterThe Pleiades (Seven Sisters)
Breathtaking blue diamond cluster enshrouded in delicate interstellar reflection nebulosity.
M42 / NGC 1976 · Orion
Diffuse Emission NebulaGreat Orion Nebula
Star nursery harboring the brilliant Trapezium cluster with sprawling bat-wing filaments.
NGC 869 & NGC 884 · Perseus
Twin Open ClustersThe Double Cluster
Pair of spectacular shimmering jewel-boxes bursting with ruby supergiant stars.
M13 / NGC 6205 · Hercules
Globular Cluster (300k stars)Great Globular Cluster in Hercules
Massive beehive of ancient stars packed tightly together into a blazing central ball.
M57 / NGC 6720 · Lyra
Planetary NebulaThe Ring Nebula
Delicate glowing smoke-ring left behind by a dying star 2,500 light-years away.
