Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Nautical Twilight-6.6° (−6° to −12°)
19:10:27
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
Sunset18:30
Civil Dusk19:02
Nautical19:39
Full Dark20:16
Nadir01:20
Dark Ends06:23
Nautical07:00
Civil Dawn07:37
Sunrise08:10
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE18.5°
DISTANCE380,160 km
Moonrise17:08
Moonset05:57
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX29% · Moderate Lunar Glow
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
62/100
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 | -12.6° | 258° | Libra | 08:41 | 13:14 | 17:48 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -20.6° | 329° | Leo | 01:56 | 09:11 | 16:23 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 11.4° | 101° | Pisces | 17:57 | 00:06 | 06:15 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -19.7° | 338° | Cancer | 01:03 | 08:36 | 16:08 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -1.9° | 240° | Libra | 10:20 | 14:38 | 18:56 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -5.0° | 48° | Taurus | 19:49 | 03:37 | 11:30 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 14.7° | 108° | Pisces | 17:36 | 23:36 | 05:37 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:08
BEST TIME23:25S · 43° high
SETS05:57
Reaches about 43° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:56
BEST TIME09:11S · 55° high
SETS16:23
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
RISES17:57
BEST TIME00:06S · 42° high
SETS06:15
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
RISES08:41
BEST TIME13:14S · 23° high
SETS17:48
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
RISES01:03
BEST TIME08:36S · 59° high
SETS16:08
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.
