OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

51.23°N, 6.62°EEurope/Berlin

Deep Astronomical Night-22.8° (< −18°)

20:48:59

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 6m of true darkness · 13h 48m total night

DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset18:24

Civil Dusk18:58

Nautical19:36

Full Dark20:15

Nadir01:18

Dark Ends06:21

Nautical06:59

Civil Dawn07:38

Sunrise08:12

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE31.0°

DISTANCE379,791 km

Moonrise17:06

Moonset05:57

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX48% · Moderate Lunar Glow

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

75/100

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	-28.8°	278°	Libra	08:37	13:12	17:39	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-23.8°	355°	Leo	01:48	09:09	16:27	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	25.5°	123°	Pisces	17:54	00:04	06:14	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-20.3°	4°	Cancer	00:54	08:32	16:13	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-17.7°	259°	Libra	10:26	14:36	18:46	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Rising / Setting	5.6	9.2°	68°	Taurus	19:38	03:35	11:36	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	27.6°	132°	Pisces	17:34	23:34	05:35	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

RISES17:06

BEST TIME23:22S · 41° high

SETS05:57

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

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:48

BEST TIME09:09S · 53° high

SETS16:27

Reaches about 53° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · Good height

RISES17:54

BEST TIME00:04S · 40° high

SETS06:14

Reaches about 40° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · Good height

RISES08:37

BEST TIME13:12S · 21° high

SETS17:39

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

RISES00:54

BEST TIME08:32S · 57° high

SETS16:13

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.