Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Civil Twilight-4.3° (0° to −6°)
18:49:16
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 7m of true darkness · 13h 38m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:23
Civil Dusk18:55
Nautical19:32
Full Dark20:08
Nadir01:12
Dark Ends06:16
Nautical06:52
Civil Dawn07:29
Sunrise08:01
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE16.7°
DISTANCE380,239 km
Moonrise17:00
Moonset05:48
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX27% · Moderate Lunar Glow
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
47/100
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 | -10.3° | 255° | Libra | 08:31 | 13:06 | 17:42 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -19.9° | 325° | Leo | 01:49 | 09:03 | 16:14 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Rising / Setting | 0.3 | 9.3° | 98° | Pisces | 17:49 | 23:58 | 06:07 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -19.4° | 335° | Cancer | 00:57 | 08:28 | 15:58 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Rising / Setting | 0.4 | 0.2° | 238° | Libra | 10:10 | 14:30 | 18:50 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -7.0° | 46° | Taurus | 19:43 | 03:29 | 11:20 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 12.7° | 105° | Pisces | 17:28 | 23:29 | 05:29 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:00
BEST TIME23:16S · 44° high
SETS05:48
Reaches about 44° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:49
BEST TIME09:03S · 56° high
SETS16:14
Reaches about 56° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:49
BEST TIME23:58S · 43° high
SETS06:07
Reaches about 43° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:31
BEST TIME13:06S · 23° high
SETS17:42
Reaches about 23° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:57
BEST TIME08:28S · 59° high
SETS15:58
Reaches about 59° 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.
