OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

8.28°S, 35.03°WAmerica/Sao_Paulo
Daylight+25.5°
15:26:28
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 17m of true darkness · 11h 39m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:14
Civil Dusk17:36
Nautical18:01
Full Dark18:26
Nadir23:04
Dark Ends03:42
Nautical04:07
Civil Dawn04:32
Sunrise04:53
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
SunsetSunrise
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry
30° ALT60° ALTZENITHNESW Vega Arcturus Altair Spica Antares Deneb Venus (-4.3) Mercury (0.4) Neptune (7.8) Moon (93%)
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE4.4°
DISTANCE379,875 km
Moonrise15:05
Moonset03:22
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX7% · Minimal Lunar Glare

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
39/100
Challenging Stargazing

High cloud cover or severe light interference. Recommend bright planetary observation or indoor planning.

CLOUD COVER15%
HUMIDITY50%
VISIBILITY18 km
DEW POINT10.8°C
PLANETARY EPHEMERIS & ALMANAC

Visible Planets Tonight

PLANETSTATUSMAGNITUDEALTITUDEAZIMUTHCONSTELLATIONRISETRANSITSETEQUIPMENT
Venus♀ Visible Low -4.324.1°254°Libra04:4610:5817:09Naked Eye
Jupiter♃ Below Horizon -2.0-38.3°282°Leo00:5906:5512:48Naked Eye
Saturn♄ Below Horizon 0.3-5.9°90°Pisces15:5021:5003:55Naked Eye
Mars♂ Below Horizon 1.0-46.3°287°Cancer00:2806:2112:12Naked Eye
Mercury☿ Optimal Visibility 0.443.8°249°Libra06:0812:2218:36Binoculars
Uranus♅ Below Horizon 5.6-57.5°63°Taurus19:3301:2107:14Binoculars
Neptune♆ Rising / Setting 7.81.5°90°Pisces15:1921:2003:26Telescope
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
RISES15:05
BEST TIME21:14N · 78° high
SETS03:22
Reaches about 78° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:59
BEST TIME06:55N · 67° high
SETS12:48
Reaches about 67° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES15:50
BEST TIME21:50N · 80° high
SETS03:55
Reaches about 80° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES04:46
BEST TIME10:58S · 80° high
SETS17:09
Reaches about 80° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:28
BEST TIME06:21N · 64° high
SETS12:12
Reaches about 64° 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

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.