Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Nautical Twilight-11.7° (−6° to −12°)
19:35:41
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 8m of true darkness · 13h 36m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:25
Civil Dusk18:57
Nautical19:33
Full Dark20:09
Nadir01:13
Dark Ends06:17
Nautical06:53
Civil Dawn07:30
Sunrise08:02
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE23.7°
DISTANCE380,065 km
Moonrise17:02
Moonset05:50
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX37% · Moderate Lunar Glow
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
59/100
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 | -17.6° | 263° | Libra | 08:31 | 13:08 | 17:45 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -24.0° | 336° | Leo | 01:52 | 09:05 | 16:14 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 16.7° | 107° | Pisces | 17:51 | 00:00 | 06:08 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -22.4° | 346° | Cancer | 01:00 | 08:30 | 15:58 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -6.1° | 246° | Libra | 10:09 | 14:31 | 18:54 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -1.5° | 55° | Taurus | 19:47 | 03:31 | 11:19 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 19.9° | 114° | Pisces | 17:29 | 23:30 | 05:31 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:02
BEST TIME23:18S · 44° high
SETS05:50
Reaches about 44° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:52
BEST TIME09:05S · 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
RISES17:51
BEST TIME00:00S · 43° high
SETS06:08
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 TIME13:08S · 24° high
SETS17:45
Reaches about 24° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:00
BEST TIME08:30S · 60° high
SETS15:58
Reaches about 60° 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.
