Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Nautical Twilight-6.7° (−6° to −12°)
19:34:07
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 8m of true darkness · 13h 36m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:54
Civil Dusk19:26
Nautical20:02
Full Dark20:38
Nadir01:42
Dark Ends06:46
Nautical07:22
Civil Dawn07:58
Sunrise08:30
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE19.1°
DISTANCE380,071 km
Moonrise17:31
Moonset06:20
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX30% · Moderate Lunar Glow
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
61/100
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 | 08:59 | 13:36 | 18:14 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -21.7° | 329° | Leo | 02:21 | 09:33 | 16:43 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 11.8° | 101° | Pisces | 18:20 | 00:28 | 06:37 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -20.9° | 338° | Cancer | 01:29 | 08:59 | 16:26 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -1.5° | 240° | Libra | 10:38 | 15:00 | 19:22 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -5.6° | 49° | Taurus | 20:16 | 04:00 | 11:48 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 15.2° | 108° | Pisces | 17:58 | 23:59 | 05:59 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:31
BEST TIME23:48S · 44° high
SETS06:20
Reaches about 44° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:21
BEST TIME09:33S · 56° high
SETS16:43
Reaches about 56° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · Good height
RISES18:20
BEST TIME00:28S · 43° high
SETS06:37
Reaches about 43° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:59
BEST TIME13:36S · 24° high
SETS18:14
Reaches about 24° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:29
BEST TIME08:59S · 60° high
SETS16:26
Reaches about 60° 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.
