Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Nautical Twilight-7.6° (−6° to −12°)
19:24:32
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 20m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:43
Civil Dusk19:12
Nautical19:45
Full Dark20:18
Nadir01:23
Dark Ends06:27
Nautical07:00
Civil Dawn07:34
Sunrise08:03
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE22.4°
DISTANCE380,107 km
Moonrise17:12
Moonset05:56
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX35% · Moderate Lunar Glow
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
60/100
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 | -13.2° | 258° | Libra | 08:27 | 13:17 | 18:08 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -26.6° | 330° | Leo | 02:12 | 09:14 | 16:13 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 14.4° | 102° | Pisces | 18:02 | 00:09 | 06:16 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -25.9° | 340° | Cancer | 01:24 | 08:39 | 15:53 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -0.7° | 242° | Libra | 10:03 | 14:41 | 19:19 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -7.3° | 51° | Taurus | 20:13 | 03:40 | 11:12 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 18.3° | 109° | Pisces | 17:39 | 23:39 | 05:40 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:12
BEST TIME23:28S · 49° high
SETS05:56
Reaches about 49° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:12
BEST TIME09:14S · 61° high
SETS16:13
Reaches about 61° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES18:02
BEST TIME00:09S · 48° high
SETS06:16
Reaches about 48° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:27
BEST TIME13:17S · 29° high
SETS18:08
Reaches about 29° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:24
BEST TIME08:39S · 65° high
SETS15:53
Reaches about 65° 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.
