OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

45.85°N, 4.36°EEurope/Paris

Deep Astronomical Night-27.0° (< −18°)

21:17:10

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 28m total night

DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset18:43

Civil Dusk19:13

Nautical19:48

Full Dark20:22

Nadir01:27

Dark Ends06:31

Nautical07:06

Civil Dawn07:40

Sunrise08:11

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE37.2°

DISTANCE379,686 km

Moonrise17:16

Moonset06:02

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX56% · Moderate Lunar Glow

Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

72/100

Good Stargazing

Fine observing conditions. Open star clusters and nebulae will exhibit crisp structure.

CLOUD COVER15%

HUMIDITY50%

VISIBILITY18 km

DEW POINT10.8°C

PLANETARY EPHEMERIS & ALMANAC

Visible Planets Tonight

All times calibrated to Europe/Paris

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Below Horizon	-4.3	-32.8°	278°	Libra	08:30	13:21	18:05	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-29.3°	0°	Leo	02:11	09:18	16:22	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Optimal Visibility	0.3	31.1°	125°	Pisces	18:05	00:13	06:21	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-25.3°	9°	Cancer	01:21	08:41	16:04	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-19.9°	261°	Libra	10:15	14:45	19:15	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Visible Low	5.6	10.2°	70°	Taurus	20:09	03:44	11:24	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Optimal Visibility	7.8	33.6°	134°	Pisces	17:43	23:43	05:44	Telescope

TONIGHT'S VIEWING SCHEDULE

When & Where to Look Tonight

A simple guide to when each object is above your horizon. No astronomy chart reading required.

BEST TIMEHighest in your sky

The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES17:16

BEST TIME23:32S · 46° high

SETS06:02

Reaches about 46° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES02:11

BEST TIME09:18S · 59° high

SETS16:22

Reaches about 59° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES18:05

BEST TIME00:13S · 46° high

SETS06:21

Reaches about 46° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · Good height

RISES08:30

BEST TIME13:21S · 26° high

SETS18:05

Reaches about 26° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:21

BEST TIME08:41S · 62° high

SETS16:04

Reaches about 62° above the horizon at its highest point.Distinctive crimson hue; polar ice cap discernible near opposition.

OBSERVING LOG & TARGET LIST

Tonight's Prime Deep-Sky Targets

0 / 6 targets logged tonight

M31 / NGC 224 · Andromeda

Andromeda Galaxy

Spiral Galaxy (2.5M ly)

Our galactic neighbor; visible as a ghostly oval smudge with dense radiant stellar core.

M45 · Taurus

The Pleiades (Seven Sisters)

Open Star Cluster

Breathtaking blue diamond cluster enshrouded in delicate interstellar reflection nebulosity.

M42 / NGC 1976 · Orion

Great Orion Nebula

Diffuse Emission Nebula

Star nursery harboring the brilliant Trapezium cluster with sprawling bat-wing filaments.

NGC 869 & NGC 884 · Perseus

The Double Cluster

Twin Open Clusters

Pair of spectacular shimmering jewel-boxes bursting with ruby supergiant stars.

M13 / NGC 6205 · Hercules

Great Globular Cluster in Hercules

Globular Cluster (300k stars)

Massive beehive of ancient stars packed tightly together into a blazing central ball.

M57 / NGC 6720 · Lyra

The Ring Nebula

Planetary Nebula

Delicate glowing smoke-ring left behind by a dying star 2,500 light-years away.