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°)
19:24:31
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 1m of true darkness · 14h 7m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:01
Civil Dusk18:39
Nautical19:21
Full Dark20:03
Nadir01:04
Dark Ends06:05
Nautical06:47
Civil Dawn07:30
Sunrise08:08
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE20.1°
DISTANCE380,107 km
Moonrise16:51
Moonset05:46
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX32% · 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 | -18.1° | 265° | Libra | 08:48 | 12:58 | 17:09 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -17.2° | 337° | Leo | 01:21 | 08:55 | 16:26 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 14.2° | 109° | Pisces | 17:39 | 23:50 | 06:01 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -15.2° | 346° | Cancer | 00:23 | 08:21 | 16:16 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -8.8° | 246° | Libra | 10:32 | 14:22 | 18:12 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Rising / Setting | 5.6 | 2.1° | 54° | Taurus | 19:03 | 03:22 | 11:44 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 16.6° | 116° | Pisces | 17:20 | 23:21 | 05:21 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES16:51
BEST TIME23:08S · 37° high
SETS05:46
Reaches about 37° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:21
BEST TIME08:55S · 49° high
SETS16:26
Reaches about 49° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:39
BEST TIME23:50S · 36° high
SETS06:01
Reaches about 36° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Low in the sky
RISES08:48
BEST TIME12:58S · 17° high
SETS17:09
Only reaches about 17° above the horizon. An open view is important.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:23
BEST TIME08:21S · 53° high
SETS16:16
Reaches about 53° 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.
