Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Nautical Twilight-8.9° (−6° to −12°)
19:02:33
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 58m of true darkness · 14h 17m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:56
Civil Dusk18:36
Nautical19:21
Full Dark20:05
Nadir01:05
Dark Ends06:04
Nautical06:48
Civil Dawn07:33
Sunrise08:13
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE16.4°
DISTANCE380,189 km
Moonrise16:51
Moonset05:49
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX26% · Moderate Lunar Glow
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
63/100
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 | -15.2° | 261° | Libra | 08:58 | 12:59 | 17:01 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -14.0° | 332° | Leo | 01:14 | 08:56 | 16:34 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 10.7° | 104° | Pisces | 17:39 | 23:51 | 06:03 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -12.4° | 341° | Cancer | 00:14 | 08:21 | 16:27 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -6.8° | 242° | Libra | 10:44 | 14:23 | 18:01 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Rising / Setting | 5.6 | 1.0° | 50° | Taurus | 18:51 | 03:22 | 11:57 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 12.9° | 112° | Pisces | 17:20 | 23:21 | 05:22 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES16:51
BEST TIME23:09S · 35° high
SETS05:49
Reaches about 35° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:14
BEST TIME08:56S · 47° high
SETS16:34
Reaches about 47° 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 TIME23:51S · 34° high
SETS06:03
Reaches about 34° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Low in the sky
RISES08:58
BEST TIME12:59S · 15° high
SETS17:01
Only reaches about 15° above the horizon. An open view is important.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:14
BEST TIME08:21S · 51° high
SETS16:27
Reaches about 51° 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.
