Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Nautical Twilight-10.1° (−6° to −12°)
19:31:37
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 28m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:34
Civil Dusk19:04
Nautical19:39
Full Dark20:13
Nadir01:18
Dark Ends06:22
Nautical06:57
Civil Dawn07:31
Sunrise08:02
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE23.4°
DISTANCE380,080 km
Moonrise17:07
Moonset05:53
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX37% · 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 | -15.8° | 261° | Libra | 08:29 | 13:12 | 17:56 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -25.4° | 334° | Leo | 02:02 | 09:09 | 16:13 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 15.9° | 105° | Pisces | 17:56 | 00:04 | 06:12 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -24.2° | 344° | Cancer | 01:12 | 08:34 | 15:55 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -3.8° | 244° | Libra | 10:06 | 14:36 | 19:06 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -4.0° | 53° | Taurus | 19:59 | 03:35 | 11:15 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 19.5° | 112° | Pisces | 17:34 | 23:34 | 05:35 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:07
BEST TIME23:23S · 46° high
SETS05:53
Reaches about 46° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:02
BEST TIME09:09S · 59° high
SETS16:13
Reaches about 59° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:56
BEST TIME00:04S · 46° high
SETS06:12
Reaches about 46° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:29
BEST TIME13:12S · 26° high
SETS17:56
Reaches about 26° 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 TIME08:34S · 62° high
SETS15:55
Reaches about 62° 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.
