Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Nautical Twilight-11.2° (−6° to −12°)
19:02:00
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 8m of true darkness · 13h 31m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:56
Civil Dusk18:27
Nautical19:03
Full Dark19:38
Nadir00:42
Dark Ends05:46
Nautical06:21
Civil Dawn06:57
Sunrise07:28
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE24.0°
DISTANCE380,191 km
Moonrise16:31
Moonset05:16
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX38% · Moderate Lunar Glow
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
58/100
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 | -17.0° | 262° | Libra | 07:56 | 12:36 | 17:18 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -25.0° | 336° | Leo | 01:24 | 08:34 | 15:40 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 16.6° | 106° | Pisces | 17:20 | 23:29 | 05:37 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -23.6° | 345° | Cancer | 00:33 | 07:59 | 15:23 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -5.2° | 245° | Libra | 09:34 | 14:00 | 18:27 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -2.7° | 54° | Taurus | 19:21 | 03:00 | 10:43 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 20.0° | 114° | Pisces | 16:58 | 22:59 | 04:59 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:31
BEST TIME22:46S · 45° high
SETS05:16
Reaches about 45° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:24
BEST TIME08:34S · 58° high
SETS15:40
Reaches about 58° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:20
BEST TIME23:29S · 45° high
SETS05:37
Reaches about 45° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES07:56
BEST TIME12:36S · 25° high
SETS17:18
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
RISES00:33
BEST TIME07:59S · 61° high
SETS15:23
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.
