Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Nautical Twilight-7.5° (−6° to −12°)
19:16:29
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 8m of true darkness · 13h 33m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:32
Civil Dusk19:03
Nautical19:39
Full Dark20:14
Nadir01:18
Dark Ends06:22
Nautical06:58
Civil Dawn07:34
Sunrise08:05
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE20.4°
DISTANCE380,137 km
Moonrise17:07
Moonset05:54
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 | -13.4° | 258° | Libra | 08:33 | 13:13 | 17:53 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -23.0° | 330° | Leo | 02:00 | 09:10 | 16:17 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 13.0° | 102° | Pisces | 17:56 | 00:05 | 06:13 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -22.1° | 340° | Cancer | 01:09 | 08:35 | 16:00 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -2.0° | 241° | Libra | 10:11 | 14:37 | 19:02 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -5.4° | 50° | Taurus | 19:56 | 03:36 | 11:21 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 16.5° | 109° | Pisces | 17:34 | 23:35 | 05:36 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:07
BEST TIME23:23S · 45° high
SETS05:54
Reaches about 45° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:00
BEST TIME09:10S · 57° high
SETS16:17
Reaches about 57° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:56
BEST TIME00:05S · 44° high
SETS06:13
Reaches about 44° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:33
BEST TIME13:13S · 25° high
SETS17:53
Reaches about 25° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:09
BEST TIME08:35S · 61° high
SETS16:00
Reaches about 61° 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.
