Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Nautical Twilight-10.6° (−6° to −12°)
19:35:04
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 8m of true darkness · 13h 38m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:31
Civil Dusk19:03
Nautical19:39
Full Dark20:16
Nadir01:20
Dark Ends06:23
Nautical07:00
Civil Dawn07:36
Sunrise08:09
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE22.5°
DISTANCE380,068 km
Moonrise17:08
Moonset05:57
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX35% · Moderate Lunar Glow
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
60/100
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 | -16.5° | 262° | Libra | 08:39 | 13:14 | 17:50 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -23.1° | 335° | Leo | 01:57 | 09:11 | 16:21 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 15.5° | 106° | Pisces | 17:57 | 00:06 | 06:15 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -21.6° | 344° | Cancer | 01:05 | 08:36 | 16:06 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -5.2° | 245° | Libra | 10:17 | 14:38 | 18:58 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -2.2° | 53° | Taurus | 19:51 | 03:37 | 11:27 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 18.7° | 113° | Pisces | 17:36 | 23:36 | 05:37 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:08
BEST TIME23:24S · 44° high
SETS05:57
Reaches about 44° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:57
BEST TIME09:11S · 56° high
SETS16:21
Reaches about 56° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:57
BEST TIME00:06S · 43° high
SETS06:15
Reaches about 43° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:39
BEST TIME13:14S · 23° high
SETS17:50
Reaches about 23° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:05
BEST TIME08:36S · 59° high
SETS16:06
Reaches about 59° 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.
