Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Civil Twilight-4.6° (0° to −6°)
19:25:58
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 8m of true darkness · 13h 37m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:58
Civil Dusk19:30
Nautical20:07
Full Dark20:43
Nadir01:47
Dark Ends06:50
Nautical07:27
Civil Dawn08:03
Sunrise08:35
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE17.1°
DISTANCE380,102 km
Moonrise17:36
Moonset06:25
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX27% · Moderate Lunar Glow
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
47/100
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 | -10.5° | 255° | Libra | 09:04 | 13:41 | 18:18 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -20.4° | 326° | Leo | 02:25 | 09:38 | 16:47 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Rising / Setting | 0.3 | 9.7° | 99° | Pisces | 18:24 | 00:33 | 06:42 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -19.9° | 335° | Cancer | 01:34 | 09:03 | 16:31 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Rising / Setting | 0.4 | 0.1° | 238° | Libra | 10:43 | 15:05 | 19:27 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -7.0° | 46° | Taurus | 20:20 | 04:04 | 11:53 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 13.2° | 106° | Pisces | 18:03 | 00:03 | 06:04 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:36
BEST TIME23:52S · 44° high
SETS06:25
Reaches about 44° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:25
BEST TIME09:38S · 56° high
SETS16:47
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
RISES18:24
BEST TIME00:33S · 43° high
SETS06:42
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
RISES09:04
BEST TIME13:41S · 24° high
SETS18:18
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
RISES01:34
BEST TIME09:03S · 60° high
SETS16:31
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.
