Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Nautical Twilight-11.5° (−6° to −12°)
19:36:05
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 7m of true darkness · 13h 38m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:26
Civil Dusk18:58
Nautical19:35
Full Dark20:11
Nadir01:15
Dark Ends06:19
Nautical06:55
Civil Dawn07:32
Sunrise08:04
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE23.3°
DISTANCE380,064 km
Moonrise17:04
Moonset05:52
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 | -17.4° | 263° | Libra | 08:34 | 13:09 | 17:45 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -23.4° | 336° | Leo | 01:53 | 09:07 | 16:17 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 16.3° | 107° | Pisces | 17:53 | 00:02 | 06:10 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -21.8° | 346° | Cancer | 01:01 | 08:32 | 16:01 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -6.1° | 246° | Libra | 10:13 | 14:33 | 18:54 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -1.4° | 54° | Taurus | 19:47 | 03:33 | 11:23 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 19.5° | 114° | Pisces | 17:31 | 23:32 | 05:32 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:04
BEST TIME23:20S · 44° high
SETS05:52
Reaches about 44° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:53
BEST TIME09:07S · 56° high
SETS16:17
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
RISES17:53
BEST TIME00:02S · 43° high
SETS06:10
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
RISES08:34
BEST TIME13:09S · 23° high
SETS17:45
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
RISES01:01
BEST TIME08:32S · 59° high
SETS16:01
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.
