Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Nautical Twilight-7.9° (−6° to −12°)
19:55:41
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 8m of true darkness · 13h 35m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:09
Civil Dusk19:40
Nautical20:16
Full Dark20:52
Nadir01:56
Dark Ends07:00
Nautical07:36
Civil Dawn08:12
Sunrise08:43
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE20.4°
DISTANCE379,990 km
Moonrise17:45
Moonset06:34
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 | -13.7° | 259° | Libra | 09:12 | 13:50 | 18:29 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -22.7° | 331° | Leo | 02:36 | 09:47 | 16:56 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 13.1° | 103° | Pisces | 18:34 | 00:42 | 06:51 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -21.7° | 340° | Cancer | 01:45 | 09:13 | 16:39 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -2.4° | 242° | Libra | 10:50 | 15:14 | 19:38 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -4.9° | 50° | Taurus | 20:31 | 04:14 | 12:00 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 16.6° | 110° | Pisces | 18:12 | 00:13 | 06:13 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:45
BEST TIME00:02S · 45° high
SETS06:34
Reaches about 45° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:36
BEST TIME09:47S · 57° high
SETS16:56
Reaches about 57° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · Good height
RISES18:34
BEST TIME00:42S · 44° high
SETS06:51
Reaches about 44° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES09:12
BEST TIME13:50S · 24° high
SETS18:29
Reaches about 24° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:45
BEST TIME09:13S · 60° high
SETS16:39
Reaches about 60° 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.
