Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Nautical Twilight-8.1° (−6° to −12°)
19:44:47
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 24m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:59
Civil Dusk19:29
Nautical20:03
Full Dark20:36
Nadir01:41
Dark Ends06:46
Nautical07:19
Civil Dawn07:53
Sunrise08:23
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE22.3°
DISTANCE380,031 km
Moonrise17:31
Moonset06:16
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 | -13.8° | 259° | Libra | 08:48 | 13:35 | 18:23 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -25.8° | 331° | Leo | 02:28 | 09:32 | 16:33 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 14.5° | 103° | Pisces | 18:20 | 00:27 | 06:35 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -25.0° | 341° | Cancer | 01:39 | 08:58 | 16:15 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -1.6° | 242° | Libra | 10:25 | 14:59 | 19:34 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -6.3° | 51° | Taurus | 20:28 | 03:59 | 11:34 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 18.3° | 110° | Pisces | 17:57 | 23:58 | 05:58 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:31
BEST TIME23:47S · 48° high
SETS06:16
Reaches about 48° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:28
BEST TIME09:32S · 60° high
SETS16:33
Reaches about 60° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES18:20
BEST TIME00:27S · 47° high
SETS06:35
Reaches about 47° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:48
BEST TIME13:35S · 27° high
SETS18:23
Reaches about 27° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:39
BEST TIME08:58S · 63° high
SETS16:15
Reaches about 63° 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.
