Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Nautical Twilight-10.1° (−6° to −12°)
19:13:21
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 4m of true darkness · 13h 54m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:07
Civil Dusk18:42
Nautical19:22
Full Dark20:01
Nadir01:04
Dark Ends06:06
Nautical06:45
Civil Dawn07:25
Sunrise08:01
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE19.9°
DISTANCE380,374 km
Moonrise16:51
Moonset05:40
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX31% · Moderate Lunar Glow
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
61/100
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 | -16.2° | 262° | Libra | 08:37 | 12:58 | 17:20 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -18.9° | 334° | Leo | 01:30 | 08:55 | 16:17 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 13.4° | 106° | Pisces | 17:40 | 23:50 | 06:00 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -17.4° | 343° | Cancer | 00:34 | 08:20 | 16:05 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -6.2° | 244° | Libra | 10:19 | 14:22 | 18:25 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -0.4° | 52° | Taurus | 19:17 | 03:21 | 11:30 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 16.2° | 113° | Pisces | 17:20 | 23:20 | 05:21 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES16:51
BEST TIME23:06S · 39° high
SETS05:40
Reaches about 39° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:30
BEST TIME08:55S · 52° high
SETS16:17
Reaches about 52° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:40
BEST TIME23:50S · 39° high
SETS06:00
Reaches about 39° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Low in the sky
RISES08:37
BEST TIME12:58S · 19° high
SETS17:20
Only reaches about 19° above the horizon. An open view is important.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:34
BEST TIME08:20S · 55° high
SETS16:05
Reaches about 55° 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.
