Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Civil Twilight-5.7° (0° to −6°)
19:15:32
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 6m of true darkness · 13h 44m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:40
Civil Dusk19:13
Nautical19:51
Full Dark20:29
Nadir01:32
Dark Ends06:35
Nautical07:13
Civil Dawn07:51
Sunrise08:24
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE17.1°
DISTANCE380,141 km
Moonrise17:20
Moonset06:11
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 | -11.7° | 257° | Libra | 08:56 | 13:26 | 17:57 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -19.0° | 327° | Leo | 02:05 | 09:23 | 16:38 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 10.1° | 100° | Pisces | 18:09 | 00:18 | 06:28 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -18.3° | 337° | Cancer | 01:12 | 08:49 | 16:24 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -1.5° | 239° | Libra | 10:36 | 14:50 | 19:04 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -5.1° | 47° | Taurus | 19:56 | 03:49 | 11:47 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 13.2° | 107° | Pisces | 17:48 | 23:49 | 05:49 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:20
BEST TIME23:37S · 42° high
SETS06:11
Reaches about 42° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:05
BEST TIME09:23S · 54° high
SETS16:38
Reaches about 54° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · Good height
RISES18:09
BEST TIME00:18S · 41° high
SETS06:28
Reaches about 41° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:56
BEST TIME13:26S · 22° high
SETS17:57
Reaches about 22° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:12
BEST TIME08:49S · 58° high
SETS16:24
Reaches about 58° 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.
