Bright moonlight washes out deep sky targets. Focus on lunar craters and bright planets.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Deep Astronomical Night-36.5° (< −18°)
21:31:17
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 15m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:15
Civil Dusk18:43
Nautical19:16
Full Dark19:48
Nadir00:53
Dark Ends05:57
Nautical06:29
Civil Dawn07:02
Sunrise07:30
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE45.7°
DISTANCE380,082 km
Moonrise16:40
Moonset05:18
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX66% · Heavy Lunar Wash
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
69/100
Fine observing conditions. Open star clusters and nebulae will exhibit crisp structure.
CLOUD COVER15%
HUMIDITY50%
VISIBILITY18 km
DEW POINT10.8°C
| PLANET | STATUS | MAGNITUDE | ALTITUDE | AZIMUTH | CONSTELLATION | RISE | TRANSIT | SET | EQUIPMENT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venus♀ | Below Horizon | -4.3 | -42.1° | 285° | Libra | 07:46 | 12:47 | 17:42 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -32.5° | 14° | Leo | 01:46 | 08:41 | 15:39 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Optimal Visibility | 0.3 | 40.4° | 136° | Pisces | 17:32 | 23:39 | 05:46 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -27.1° | 22° | Cancer | 00:58 | 08:08 | 15:19 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -28.1° | 267° | Libra | 09:24 | 14:11 | 18:54 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Visible Low | 5.6 | 17.3° | 77° | Taurus | 19:49 | 03:11 | 10:37 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Optimal Visibility | 7.8 | 42.4° | 145° | Pisces | 17:09 | 23:10 | 05:10 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:40
BEST TIME22:53S · 50° high
SETS05:18
Reaches about 50° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Heavy Lunar Wash.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:46
BEST TIME08:41S · 63° high
SETS15:39
Reaches about 63° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:32
BEST TIME23:39S · 50° high
SETS05:46
Reaches about 50° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES07:46
BEST TIME12:47S · 30° high
SETS17:42
Reaches about 30° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:58
BEST TIME08:08S · 66° high
SETS15:19
Reaches about 66° 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.
