Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Nautical Twilight-8.0° (−6° to −12°)
19:31:45
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 7m of true darkness · 13h 41m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:43
Civil Dusk19:15
Nautical19:52
Full Dark20:29
Nadir01:33
Dark Ends06:36
Nautical07:13
Civil Dawn07:51
Sunrise08:23
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE19.7°
DISTANCE380,080 km
Moonrise17:21
Moonset06:11
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX31% · 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 | -13.9° | 259° | Libra | 08:54 | 13:27 | 18:01 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -21.1° | 331° | Leo | 02:08 | 09:24 | 16:37 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 12.6° | 103° | Pisces | 18:10 | 00:19 | 06:28 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -20.0° | 340° | Cancer | 01:16 | 08:49 | 16:21 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -3.2° | 242° | Libra | 10:34 | 14:51 | 19:08 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -3.8° | 50° | Taurus | 20:01 | 03:50 | 11:44 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 15.9° | 110° | Pisces | 17:49 | 23:49 | 05:50 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:21
BEST TIME23:38S · 43° high
SETS06:11
Reaches about 43° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:08
BEST TIME09:24S · 55° high
SETS16:37
Reaches about 55° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · Good height
RISES18:10
BEST TIME00:19S · 42° high
SETS06:28
Reaches about 42° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:54
BEST TIME13:27S · 23° high
SETS18:01
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
RISES01:16
BEST TIME08:49S · 59° high
SETS16:21
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.
