Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Civil Twilight-2.9° (0° to −6°)
19:19:07
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 30m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:03
Civil Dusk19:33
Nautical20:08
Full Dark20:43
Nadir01:48
Dark Ends06:52
Nautical07:27
Civil Dawn08:02
Sunrise08:33
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE16.4°
DISTANCE380,127 km
Moonrise17:37
Moonset06:24
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX26% · Moderate Lunar Glow
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
48/100
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 | -8.7° | 254° | Libra | 09:00 | 13:42 | 18:24 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -21.2° | 324° | Leo | 02:31 | 09:39 | 16:44 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Rising / Setting | 0.3 | 8.7° | 97° | Pisces | 18:26 | 00:34 | 06:42 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -21.0° | 333° | Cancer | 01:40 | 09:04 | 16:27 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Rising / Setting | 0.4 | 2.0° | 237° | Libra | 10:37 | 15:06 | 19:34 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -9.3° | 45° | Taurus | 20:28 | 04:05 | 11:47 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 12.4° | 104° | Pisces | 18:04 | 00:04 | 06:05 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:37
BEST TIME23:53S · 46° high
SETS06:24
Reaches about 46° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:31
BEST TIME09:39S · 58° high
SETS16:44
Reaches about 58° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES18:26
BEST TIME00:34S · 45° high
SETS06:42
Reaches about 45° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES09:00
BEST TIME13:42S · 26° high
SETS18:24
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
RISES01:40
BEST TIME09:04S · 62° high
SETS16:27
Reaches about 62° 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.
