Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Nautical Twilight-10.9° (−6° to −12°)
19:32:29
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
Sunset18:23
Civil Dusk18:57
Nautical19:35
Full Dark20:13
Nadir01:16
Dark Ends06:19
Nautical06:57
Civil Dawn07:36
Sunrise08:10
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE21.6°
DISTANCE380,077 km
Moonrise17:04
Moonset05:55
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX34% · Moderate Lunar Glow
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
60/100
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 | -17.0° | 263° | Libra | 08:43 | 13:10 | 17:39 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -21.0° | 335° | Leo | 01:48 | 09:08 | 16:24 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 15.0° | 107° | Pisces | 17:53 | 00:02 | 06:12 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -19.4° | 345° | Cancer | 00:54 | 08:33 | 16:10 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -6.4° | 245° | Libra | 10:23 | 14:34 | 18:45 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -0.7° | 53° | Taurus | 19:38 | 03:34 | 11:34 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 17.9° | 114° | Pisces | 17:32 | 23:33 | 05:33 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:04
BEST TIME23:21S · 41° high
SETS05:55
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 TIME09:08S · 54° high
SETS16:24
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
RISES17:53
BEST TIME00:02S · 41° high
SETS06:12
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
RISES08:43
BEST TIME13:10S · 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 TIME08:33S · 57° high
SETS16:10
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.
