OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

49.32°N, 1.23°EEurope/Paris

Deep Astronomical Night-24.2° (< −18°)

21:17:15

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 7m of true darkness · 13h 40m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset18:49

Civil Dusk19:22

Nautical19:59

Full Dark20:36

Nadir01:39

Dark Ends06:43

Nautical07:20

Civil Dawn07:57

Sunrise08:30

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE33.2°

DISTANCE379,686 km

Moonrise17:28

Moonset06:18

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX51% · Moderate Lunar Glow

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

74/100

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	-30.2°	278°	Libra	08:52	13:33	18:07	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-25.8°	357°	Leo	02:15	09:31	16:43	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	27.4°	124°	Pisces	18:17	00:26	06:34	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-22.1°	6°	Cancer	01:23	08:54	16:28	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-18.5°	260°	Libra	10:40	14:57	19:15	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Rising / Setting	5.6	9.5°	69°	Taurus	20:08	03:57	11:50	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	29.7°	132°	Pisces	17:55	23:56	05:56	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

RISES17:28

BEST TIME23:45S · 43° high

SETS06:18

Reaches about 43° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES02:15

BEST TIME09:31S · 55° high

SETS16:43

Reaches about 55° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · Good height

RISES18:17

BEST TIME00:26S · 42° high

SETS06:34

Reaches about 42° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · Good height

RISES08:52

BEST TIME13:33S · 23° high

SETS18:07

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

RISES01:23

BEST TIME08:54S · 59° high

SETS16:28

Reaches about 59° 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.