Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Nautical Twilight-6.7° (−6° to −12°)
19:25:56
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
Sunset18:47
Civil Dusk19:18
Nautical19:52
Full Dark20:27
Nadir01:31
Dark Ends06:36
Nautical07:10
Civil Dawn07:45
Sunrise08:15
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE20.4°
DISTANCE380,102 km
Moonrise17:20
Moonset06:07
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX32% · 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 | -12.5° | 258° | Libra | 08:42 | 13:25 | 18:10 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -23.9° | 329° | Leo | 02:16 | 09:23 | 16:26 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 12.7° | 101° | Pisces | 18:10 | 00:18 | 06:25 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -23.2° | 339° | Cancer | 01:26 | 08:48 | 16:08 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -0.8° | 241° | Libra | 10:19 | 14:49 | 19:20 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -6.8° | 49° | Taurus | 20:13 | 03:49 | 11:28 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 16.4° | 108° | Pisces | 17:47 | 23:48 | 05:48 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:20
BEST TIME23:36S · 47° high
SETS06:07
Reaches about 47° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:16
BEST TIME09:23S · 59° high
SETS16:26
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
RISES18:10
BEST TIME00:18S · 46° high
SETS06:25
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
RISES08:42
BEST TIME13:25S · 26° high
SETS18:10
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
RISES01:26
BEST TIME08:48S · 62° high
SETS16:08
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.
