Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Civil Twilight-4.8° (0° to −6°)
18:36:11
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 7m of true darkness · 13h 41m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:06
Civil Dusk18:39
Nautical19:16
Full Dark19:53
Nadir00:57
Dark Ends06:00
Nautical06:37
Civil Dawn07:14
Sunrise07:47
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE16.8°
DISTANCE380,288 km
Moonrise16:45
Moonset05:33
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 | -10.8° | 256° | Libra | 08:18 | 12:51 | 17:24 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -19.4° | 326° | Leo | 01:32 | 08:48 | 16:01 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Rising / Setting | 0.3 | 9.5° | 99° | Pisces | 17:34 | 23:43 | 05:52 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -18.8° | 336° | Cancer | 00:40 | 08:13 | 15:45 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -0.4° | 238° | Libra | 09:58 | 14:15 | 18:32 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -6.2° | 46° | Taurus | 19:25 | 03:14 | 11:08 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 12.8° | 106° | Pisces | 17:13 | 23:13 | 05:14 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES16:45
BEST TIME23:01S · 43° high
SETS05:33
Reaches about 43° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:32
BEST TIME08:48S · 55° high
SETS16:01
Reaches about 55° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:34
BEST TIME23:43S · 42° high
SETS05:52
Reaches about 42° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:18
BEST TIME12:51S · 23° high
SETS17:24
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
RISES00:40
BEST TIME08:13S · 59° high
SETS15:45
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.
