OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

14.39°S, 42.42°WAmerica/Sao_Paulo
Daylight+23.1°
16:09:36
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 2m of true darkness · 11h 29m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:49
Civil Dusk18:11
Nautical18:37
Full Dark19:02
Nadir23:33
Dark Ends04:04
Nautical04:30
Civil Dawn04:56
Sunrise05:18
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%
ALTITUDE7.0°
DISTANCE379,714 km
Moonrise15:36
Moonset03:50
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX11% · Minimal Lunar Glare

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
38/100
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 -4.322.4°256°Libra05:0711:2717:47Naked Eye
Jupiter♃ Below Horizon -2.0-42.7°276°Leo01:3507:2513:11Naked Eye
Saturn♄ Below Horizon 0.3-2.5°89°Pisces16:2022:2004:24Naked Eye
Mars♂ Below Horizon 1.0-51.1°281°Cancer01:0506:5012:33Naked Eye
Mercury☿ Optimal Visibility 0.442.5°255°Libra06:2712:5119:16Binoculars
Uranus♅ Below Horizon 5.6-56.6°74°Taurus20:1201:5107:34Binoculars
Neptune♆ Rising / Setting 7.84.7°89°Pisces15:4821:5003:52Telescope
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
RISES15:36
BEST TIME21:45N · 72° high
SETS03:50
Reaches about 72° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:35
BEST TIME07:25N · 61° high
SETS13:11
Reaches about 61° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:20
BEST TIME22:20N · 74° high
SETS04:24
Reaches about 74° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES05:07
BEST TIME11:27S · 86° high
SETS17:47
Reaches about 86° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:05
BEST TIME06:50N · 58° high
SETS12:33
Reaches about 58° 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.