OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

17.58°S, 149.65°WPacific/Gambier

Daylight+39.5°

09:14:50

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM8h 53m of true darkness · 11h 22m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset19:01

Civil Dusk19:23

Nautical19:49

Full Dark20:16

Nadir00:42

Dark Ends05:08

Nautical05:35

Civil Dawn06:01

Sunrise06:23

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE-63.7°

DISTANCE379,919 km

Moonrise17:02

Moonset04:32

HorizonBelow

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX0% · Minimal Lunar Glare

Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

42/100

Fair Stargazing

Partial haze or lunar wash. Bright clusters, double stars, and prominent planets remain well visible.

CLOUD COVER15%

HUMIDITY50%

VISIBILITY18 km

DEW POINT10.8°C

PLANETARY EPHEMERIS & ALMANAC

Visible Planets Tonight

All times calibrated to Pacific/Gambier

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Optimal Visibility	-4.3	42.4°	99°	Libra	06:10	12:34	18:59	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Optimal Visibility	-2.0	56.4°	342°	Leo	02:50	08:33	14:16	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Below Horizon	0.3	-52.8°	248°	Pisces	17:28	23:31	05:31	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Optimal Visibility	1.0	49.9°	331°	Cancer	02:20	07:59	13:37	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Visible Low	0.4	23.1°	106°	Libra	07:30	13:59	20:29	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Below Horizon	5.6	-8.5°	289°	Taurus	21:29	03:03	08:36	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Below Horizon	7.8	-58.2°	238°	Pisces	16:56	23:02	05:04	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

RISES17:02

BEST TIME22:22N · 73° high

SETS04:32

Reaches about 73° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES02:50

BEST TIME08:33N · 58° high

SETS14:16

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

RISES17:28

BEST TIME23:31N · 71° high

SETS05:31

Reaches about 71° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES06:10

BEST TIME12:34S · 90° high

SETS18:59

Reaches about 90° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES02:20

BEST TIME07:59N · 55° high

SETS13:37

Reaches about 55° 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.