Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Nautical Twilight-9.1° (−6° to −12°)
19:00:20
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 6m of true darkness · 13h 46m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:03
Civil Dusk18:36
Nautical19:15
Full Dark19:53
Nadir00:56
Dark Ends05:59
Nautical06:37
Civil Dawn07:15
Sunrise07:49
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE20.0°
DISTANCE380,198 km
Moonrise16:44
Moonset05:33
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX32% · Moderate Lunar Glow
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
61/100
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 | -15.1° | 261° | Libra | 08:22 | 12:50 | 17:19 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -20.2° | 332° | Leo | 01:27 | 08:47 | 16:04 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 13.2° | 104° | Pisces | 17:33 | 23:42 | 05:52 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -18.9° | 342° | Cancer | 00:34 | 08:12 | 15:50 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -4.6° | 243° | Libra | 10:03 | 14:14 | 18:25 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -2.2° | 51° | Taurus | 19:18 | 03:13 | 11:13 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 16.2° | 112° | Pisces | 17:12 | 23:13 | 05:13 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES16:44
BEST TIME23:00S · 41° high
SETS05:33
Reaches about 41° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:27
BEST TIME08:47S · 54° high
SETS16:04
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
RISES17:33
BEST TIME23:42S · 41° high
SETS05:52
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
RISES08:22
BEST TIME12:50S · 21° high
SETS17:19
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
RISES00:34
BEST TIME08:12S · 57° high
SETS15:50
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.
