Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Nautical Twilight-10.0° (−6° to −12°)
19:35:47
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 22m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:40
Civil Dusk19:09
Nautical19:43
Full Dark20:16
Nadir01:21
Dark Ends06:26
Nautical06:59
Civil Dawn07:33
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%
ALTITUDE24.4°
DISTANCE380,065 km
Moonrise17:11
Moonset05:55
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX38% · Moderate Lunar Glow
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
58/100
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 | -15.7° | 260° | Libra | 08:27 | 13:15 | 18:04 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -27.3° | 334° | Leo | 02:10 | 09:12 | 16:12 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 16.6° | 104° | Pisces | 18:00 | 00:07 | 06:15 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -26.1° | 344° | Cancer | 01:21 | 08:38 | 15:53 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -3.1° | 244° | Libra | 10:03 | 14:39 | 19:16 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -5.1° | 53° | Taurus | 20:10 | 03:39 | 11:12 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 20.3° | 111° | Pisces | 17:37 | 23:38 | 05:38 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:11
BEST TIME23:26S · 48° high
SETS05:55
Reaches about 48° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:10
BEST TIME09:12S · 61° high
SETS16:12
Reaches about 61° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES18:00
BEST TIME00:07S · 48° high
SETS06:15
Reaches about 48° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:27
BEST TIME13:15S · 28° high
SETS18:04
Reaches about 28° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:21
BEST TIME08:38S · 64° high
SETS15:53
Reaches about 64° 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.
