OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

50.72°N, 8.92°EEurope/Berlin

Astronomical Twilight-15.3° (−12° to −18°)

19:52:01

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

Sunset18:16

Civil Dusk18:49

Nautical19:28

Full Dark20:05

Nadir01:09

Dark Ends06:11

Nautical06:49

Civil Dawn07:28

Sunrise08:02

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE25.4°

DISTANCE380,004 km

Moonrise16:57

Moonset05:47

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX40% · Moderate Lunar Glow

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

68/100

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	-21.3°	268°	Libra	08:34	13:03	17:32	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-22.8°	342°	Leo	01:41	09:00	16:16	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	19.1°	112°	Pisces	17:45	23:55	06:04	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-20.5°	352°	Cancer	00:47	08:25	16:02	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-10.3°	250°	Libra	10:15	14:27	18:39	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Rising / Setting	5.6	2.4°	59°	Taurus	19:31	03:26	11:25	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	21.8°	120°	Pisces	17:25	23:25	05:26	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

RISES16:57

BEST TIME23:13S · 41° high

SETS05:47

Reaches about 41° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:41

BEST TIME09:00S · 54° high

SETS16:16

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

RISES17:45

BEST TIME23:55S · 41° high

SETS06:04

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

RISES08:34

BEST TIME13:03S · 21° high

SETS17:32

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

RISES00:47

BEST TIME08:25S · 57° high

SETS16:02

Reaches about 57° 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.