Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Nautical Twilight-10.7° (−6° to −12°)
20:16:38
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 8m of true darkness · 13h 38m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:12
Civil Dusk19:44
Nautical20:20
Full Dark20:57
Nadir02:01
Dark Ends07:04
Nautical07:41
Civil Dawn08:17
Sunrise08:50
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE22.5°
DISTANCE379,912 km
Moonrise17:50
Moonset06:40
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX36% · Moderate Lunar Glow
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
59/100
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 | -16.6° | 262° | Libra | 09:19 | 13:55 | 18:31 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -23.1° | 335° | Leo | 02:38 | 09:52 | 17:02 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 15.6° | 106° | Pisces | 18:38 | 00:47 | 06:56 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -21.6° | 345° | Cancer | 01:46 | 09:17 | 16:47 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -5.4° | 245° | Libra | 10:58 | 15:19 | 19:39 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -2.1° | 53° | Taurus | 20:32 | 04:18 | 12:08 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 18.8° | 113° | Pisces | 18:16 | 00:17 | 06:18 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:50
BEST TIME00:07S · 44° high
SETS06:40
Reaches about 44° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:38
BEST TIME09:52S · 56° high
SETS17:02
Reaches about 56° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · Good height
RISES18:38
BEST TIME00:47S · 43° high
SETS06:56
Reaches about 43° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES09:19
BEST TIME13:55S · 23° high
SETS18:31
Reaches about 23° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:46
BEST TIME09:17S · 59° high
SETS16:47
Reaches about 59° 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.
