Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Civil Twilight-5.1° (0° to −6°)
19:00:14
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 8m of true darkness · 13h 34m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:30
Civil Dusk19:02
Nautical19:37
Full Dark20:13
Nadir01:17
Dark Ends06:21
Nautical06:57
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
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE18.0°
DISTANCE380,198 km
Moonrise17:06
Moonset05:53
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX29% · Moderate Lunar Glow
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
47/100
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 | -10.9° | 256° | Libra | 08:32 | 13:11 | 17:51 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -21.4° | 327° | Leo | 01:58 | 09:08 | 16:16 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 10.5° | 99° | Pisces | 17:55 | 00:03 | 06:12 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -20.9° | 336° | Cancer | 01:06 | 08:34 | 15:59 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Rising / Setting | 0.4 | 0.0° | 239° | Libra | 10:10 | 14:35 | 19:00 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -7.1° | 47° | Taurus | 19:53 | 03:35 | 11:20 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 14.0° | 106° | Pisces | 17:33 | 23:34 | 05:34 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:06
BEST TIME23:22S · 45° high
SETS05:53
Reaches about 45° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:58
BEST TIME09:08S · 57° high
SETS16:16
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
RISES17:55
BEST TIME00:03S · 44° high
SETS06:12
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
RISES08:32
BEST TIME13:11S · 25° high
SETS17:51
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
RISES01:06
BEST TIME08:34S · 61° high
SETS15:59
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.
