Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Nautical Twilight-11.8° (−6° to −12°)
19:03:05
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 8m of true darkness · 12h 58m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:05
Civil Dusk18:31
Nautical19:01
Full Dark19:30
Nadir00:34
Dark Ends05:38
Nautical06:08
Civil Dawn06:37
Sunrise07:03
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE30.8°
DISTANCE380,412 km
Moonrise16:23
Moonset04:58
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX47% · Moderate Lunar Glow
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
55/100
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 | -16.7° | 260° | Libra | 07:20 | 12:29 | 17:38 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -36.7° | 335° | Leo | 01:39 | 08:26 | 15:09 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 21.4° | 104° | Pisces | 17:15 | 23:21 | 05:27 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -35.7° | 346° | Cancer | 00:55 | 07:51 | 14:45 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -1.7° | 246° | Libra | 08:52 | 13:53 | 18:53 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -8.1° | 57° | Taurus | 19:48 | 02:52 | 10:00 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 26.1° | 110° | Pisces | 16:51 | 22:51 | 04:52 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:23
BEST TIME22:36S · 57° high
SETS04:58
Reaches about 57° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:39
BEST TIME08:26S · 70° high
SETS15:09
Reaches about 70° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:15
BEST TIME23:21S · 57° high
SETS05:27
Reaches about 57° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES07:20
BEST TIME12:29S · 37° high
SETS17:38
Reaches about 37° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:55
BEST TIME07:51S · 73° high
SETS14:45
Reaches about 73° 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.
