Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Nautical Twilight-6.4° (−6° to −12°)
18:38:08
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 6m of true darkness · 13h 47m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:58
Civil Dusk18:31
Nautical19:10
Full Dark19:48
Nadir00:51
Dark Ends05:54
Nautical06:32
Civil Dawn07:10
Sunrise07:44
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE17.5°
DISTANCE380,281 km
Moonrise16:39
Moonset05:28
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX28% · Moderate Lunar Glow
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
62/100
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 | -12.4° | 257° | Libra | 08:17 | 12:45 | 17:14 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -18.9° | 328° | Leo | 01:22 | 08:42 | 15:59 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 10.5° | 101° | Pisces | 17:28 | 23:37 | 05:47 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -18.0° | 338° | Cancer | 00:29 | 08:07 | 15:45 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -2.3° | 240° | Libra | 09:58 | 14:09 | 18:20 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -4.3° | 48° | Taurus | 19:13 | 03:08 | 11:08 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 13.6° | 108° | Pisces | 17:07 | 23:08 | 05:08 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES16:39
BEST TIME22:55S · 41° high
SETS05:28
Reaches about 41° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:22
BEST TIME08:42S · 54° high
SETS15:59
Reaches about 54° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:28
BEST TIME23:37S · 41° high
SETS05:47
Reaches about 41° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:17
BEST TIME12:45S · 21° high
SETS17:14
Reaches about 21° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:29
BEST TIME08:07S · 57° high
SETS15:45
Reaches about 57° 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.
