OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

52.96°N, 7.32°EEurope/Berlin

Deep Astronomical Night-18.4° (< −18°)

20:19:22

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 4m of true darkness · 13h 55m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset18:17

Civil Dusk18:53

Nautical19:33

Full Dark20:13

Nadir01:15

Dark Ends06:17

Nautical06:57

Civil Dawn07:37

Sunrise08:13

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE26.8°

DISTANCE379,902 km

Moonrise17:03

Moonset05:55

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX42% · Moderate Lunar Glow

Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

77/100

Good Stargazing

Fine observing conditions. Open star clusters and nebulae will exhibit crisp structure.

CLOUD COVER15%

HUMIDITY50%

VISIBILITY18 km

DEW POINT10.8°C

PLANETARY EPHEMERIS & ALMANAC

Visible Planets Tonight

All times calibrated to Europe/Berlin

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Below Horizon	-4.3	-24.5°	273°	Libra	08:49	13:09	17:30	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-21.4°	348°	Leo	01:40	09:06	16:29	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	21.1°	118°	Pisces	17:51	00:01	06:11	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-18.6°	357°	Cancer	00:45	08:31	16:17	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-14.1°	255°	Libra	10:31	14:33	18:35	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Rising / Setting	5.6	6.2°	63°	Taurus	19:27	03:32	11:42	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	23.3°	126°	Pisces	17:31	23:32	05:32	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 · Good height

RISES17:03

BEST TIME23:20S · 39° high

SETS05:55

Reaches about 39° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:40

BEST TIME09:06S · 52° high

SETS16:29

Reaches about 52° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · Good height

RISES17:51

BEST TIME00:01S · 39° high

SETS06:11

Reaches about 39° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · Low in the sky

RISES08:49

BEST TIME13:09S · 19° high

SETS17:30

Only reaches about 19° above the horizon. An open view is important.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES00:45

BEST TIME08:31S · 55° high

SETS16:17

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.