OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

50.62°N, 2.69°EEurope/Paris

Astronomical Twilight-15.8° (−12° to −18°)

20:20:31

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 6m of true darkness · 13h 46m total night

DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset18:41

Civil Dusk19:14

Nautical19:52

Full Dark20:30

Nadir01:34

Dark Ends06:36

Nautical07:14

Civil Dawn07:53

Sunrise08:26

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE26.0°

DISTANCE379,898 km

Moonrise17:22

Moonset06:13

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX41% · Moderate Lunar Glow

Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

67/100

Good Stargazing

Fine observing conditions. Open star clusters and nebulae will exhibit crisp structure.

CLOUD COVER15%

HUMIDITY50%

VISIBILITY18 km

DEW POINT10.8°C

PLANETARY EPHEMERIS & ALMANAC

Visible Planets Tonight

All times calibrated to Europe/Paris

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Below Horizon	-4.3	-21.8°	269°	Libra	08:59	13:28	17:57	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-23.0°	343°	Leo	02:06	09:25	16:41	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	19.6°	113°	Pisces	18:10	00:20	06:29	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-20.7°	353°	Cancer	01:12	08:50	16:26	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-10.8°	251°	Libra	10:39	14:52	19:04	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Rising / Setting	5.6	2.8°	59°	Taurus	19:57	03:51	11:49	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	22.3°	121°	Pisces	17:49	23:50	05:51	Telescope

TONIGHT'S VIEWING SCHEDULE

When & Where to Look Tonight

A simple guide to when each object is above your horizon. No astronomy chart reading required.

BEST TIMEHighest in your sky

The MoonNaked Eye · Good height

RISES17:22

BEST TIME23:39S · 42° high

SETS06:13

Reaches about 42° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES02:06

BEST TIME09:25S · 54° high

SETS16:41

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

RISES18:10

BEST TIME00:20S · 41° high

SETS06:29

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

RISES08:59

BEST TIME13:28S · 21° high

SETS17:57

Reaches about 21° 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 TIME08:50S · 57° high

SETS16:26

Reaches about 57° above the horizon at its highest point.Distinctive crimson hue; polar ice cap discernible near opposition.

OBSERVING LOG & TARGET LIST

Tonight's Prime Deep-Sky Targets

0 / 6 targets logged tonight

M31 / NGC 224 · Andromeda

Andromeda Galaxy

Spiral Galaxy (2.5M ly)

Our galactic neighbor; visible as a ghostly oval smudge with dense radiant stellar core.

M45 · Taurus

The Pleiades (Seven Sisters)

Open Star Cluster

Breathtaking blue diamond cluster enshrouded in delicate interstellar reflection nebulosity.

M42 / NGC 1976 · Orion

Great Orion Nebula

Diffuse Emission Nebula

Star nursery harboring the brilliant Trapezium cluster with sprawling bat-wing filaments.

NGC 869 & NGC 884 · Perseus

The Double Cluster

Twin Open Clusters

Pair of spectacular shimmering jewel-boxes bursting with ruby supergiant stars.

M13 / NGC 6205 · Hercules

Great Globular Cluster in Hercules

Globular Cluster (300k stars)

Massive beehive of ancient stars packed tightly together into a blazing central ball.

M57 / NGC 6720 · Lyra

The Ring Nebula

Planetary Nebula

Delicate glowing smoke-ring left behind by a dying star 2,500 light-years away.