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°)
19:40:59
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 8m of true darkness · 13h 32m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:37
Civil Dusk19:08
Nautical19:44
Full Dark20:19
Nadir01:23
Dark Ends06:27
Nautical07:03
Civil Dawn07:38
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%
ALTITUDE23.5°
DISTANCE380,045 km
Moonrise17:12
Moonset05:59
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX37% · Moderate Lunar Glow
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
59/100
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 | -16.7° | 262° | Libra | 08:37 | 13:17 | 17:58 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -24.6° | 335° | Leo | 02:04 | 09:15 | 16:21 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 16.3° | 106° | Pisces | 18:01 | 00:09 | 06:18 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -23.2° | 345° | Cancer | 01:14 | 08:40 | 16:04 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -5.0° | 245° | Libra | 10:15 | 14:41 | 19:07 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -2.8° | 54° | Taurus | 20:01 | 03:41 | 11:25 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 19.6° | 113° | Pisces | 17:39 | 23:40 | 05:40 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:12
BEST TIME23:28S · 45° high
SETS05:59
Reaches about 45° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:04
BEST TIME09:15S · 57° high
SETS16:21
Reaches about 57° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · Good height
RISES18:01
BEST TIME00:09S · 44° high
SETS06:18
Reaches about 44° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:37
BEST TIME13:17S · 25° high
SETS17:58
Reaches about 25° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:14
BEST TIME08:40S · 61° high
SETS16:04
Reaches about 61° 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.
