OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

60.29°N, 25.04°EEurope/Helsinki

Astronomical Twilight-13.1° (−12° to −18°)

19:33:35

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 52m of true darkness · 14h 35m total night

DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset17:47

Civil Dusk18:31

Nautical19:20

Full Dark20:08

Nadir01:04

Dark Ends06:00

Nautical06:49

Civil Dawn07:38

Sunrise08:22

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION92%

ALTITUDE18.5°

DISTANCE380,298 km

Moonrise16:50

Moonset05:48

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX29% · Moderate Lunar Glow

Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

72/100

Good Stargazing

Fine observing conditions. Open star clusters and nebulae will exhibit crisp structure.

CLOUD COVER15%

HUMIDITY50%

VISIBILITY18 km

DEW POINT10.8°C

PLANETARY EPHEMERIS & ALMANAC

Visible Planets Tonight

All times calibrated to Europe/Helsinki

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Below Horizon	-4.3	-19.5°	269°	Libra	09:14	12:59	16:44	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-13.0°	340°	Leo	01:01	08:56	16:47	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	13.6°	112°	Pisces	17:37	23:51	06:04	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-10.7°	349°	Cancer	23:56	08:21	16:44	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-11.8°	249°	Libra	11:05	14:22	17:40	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Rising / Setting	5.6	5.7°	56°	Taurus	18:28	03:22	12:20	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	15.3°	120°	Pisces	17:20	23:21	05:22	Telescope

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 · Good height

RISES16:50

BEST TIME23:06S · 31° high

SETS05:48

Reaches about 31° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.

JupiterNaked Eye · Good height

RISES01:01

BEST TIME08:56S · 44° high

SETS16:47

Reaches about 44° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · Good height

RISES17:37

BEST TIME23:51S · 31° high

SETS06:04

Reaches about 31° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · Low in the sky

RISES09:14

BEST TIME12:59S · 12° high

SETS16:44

Only reaches about 12° above the horizon. An open view is important.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES23:56

BEST TIME08:21S · 48° high

SETS16:44

Reaches about 48° 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

0 / 6 targets logged tonight

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.