Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Nautical Twilight-9.0° (−6° to −12°)
19:04:06
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 3m of true darkness · 14h 1m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:02
Civil Dusk18:38
Nautical19:20
Full Dark20:01
Nadir01:02
Dark Ends06:04
Nautical06:45
Civil Dawn07:26
Sunrise08:03
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE18.2°
DISTANCE380,184 km
Moonrise16:50
Moonset05:43
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX29% · 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 | -15.2° | 261° | Libra | 08:41 | 12:56 | 17:13 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -17.1° | 332° | Leo | 01:24 | 08:54 | 16:20 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 12.0° | 104° | Pisces | 17:38 | 23:49 | 05:59 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -15.6° | 342° | Cancer | 00:27 | 08:19 | 16:09 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -5.8° | 243° | Libra | 10:24 | 14:20 | 18:16 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -0.4° | 50° | Taurus | 19:08 | 03:20 | 11:36 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 14.6° | 112° | Pisces | 17:18 | 23:19 | 05:20 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES16:50
BEST TIME23:06S · 38° high
SETS05:43
Reaches about 38° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:24
BEST TIME08:54S · 50° high
SETS16:20
Reaches about 50° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:38
BEST TIME23:49S · 37° high
SETS05:59
Reaches about 37° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Low in the sky
RISES08:41
BEST TIME12:56S · 18° high
SETS17:13
Only reaches about 18° above the horizon. An open view is important.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:27
BEST TIME08:19S · 54° high
SETS16:09
Reaches about 54° 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.
