Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Nautical Twilight-10.9° (−6° to −12°)
19:29:00
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 17m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:30
Civil Dusk18:59
Nautical19:31
Full Dark20:04
Nadir01:08
Dark Ends06:13
Nautical06:46
Civil Dawn07:18
Sunrise07:47
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE26.1°
DISTANCE380,090 km
Moonrise16:58
Moonset05:41
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX41% · Moderate Lunar Glow
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
57/100
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 | -16.4° | 261° | Libra | 08:10 | 13:03 | 17:56 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -29.4° | 335° | Leo | 02:01 | 09:00 | 15:56 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 18.0° | 105° | Pisces | 17:48 | 23:55 | 06:02 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -28.2° | 345° | Cancer | 01:13 | 08:25 | 15:36 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -3.3° | 245° | Libra | 09:45 | 14:27 | 19:08 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -5.3° | 55° | Taurus | 20:03 | 03:26 | 10:54 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 22.0° | 112° | Pisces | 17:25 | 23:25 | 05:26 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:58
BEST TIME23:13S · 50° high
SETS05:41
Reaches about 50° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:01
BEST TIME09:00S · 62° high
SETS15:56
Reaches about 62° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:48
BEST TIME23:55S · 49° high
SETS06:02
Reaches about 49° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:10
BEST TIME13:03S · 30° high
SETS17:56
Reaches about 30° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:13
BEST TIME08:25S · 66° high
SETS15:36
Reaches about 66° 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.
