Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Civil Twilight-3.5° (0° to −6°)
18:35:34
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 8m of true darkness · 13h 34m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:15
Civil Dusk18:46
Nautical19:22
Full Dark19:58
Nadir01:02
Dark Ends06:06
Nautical06:42
Civil Dawn07:17
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%
ALTITUDE16.5°
DISTANCE380,290 km
Moonrise16:51
Moonset05:37
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX26% · Moderate Lunar Glow
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
48/100
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 | -9.4° | 254° | Libra | 08:18 | 12:56 | 17:35 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -20.4° | 324° | Leo | 01:42 | 08:53 | 16:01 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Rising / Setting | 0.3 | 8.8° | 98° | Pisces | 17:40 | 23:48 | 05:57 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -20.1° | 334° | Cancer | 00:51 | 08:19 | 15:45 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Rising / Setting | 0.4 | 1.2° | 237° | Libra | 09:56 | 14:20 | 18:44 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -8.2° | 45° | Taurus | 19:38 | 03:20 | 11:06 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 12.4° | 104° | Pisces | 17:18 | 23:19 | 05:19 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES16:51
BEST TIME23:06S · 45° high
SETS05:37
Reaches about 45° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:42
BEST TIME08:53S · 57° high
SETS16:01
Reaches about 57° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:40
BEST TIME23:48S · 44° high
SETS05:57
Reaches about 44° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:18
BEST TIME12:56S · 24° high
SETS17:35
Reaches about 24° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:51
BEST TIME08:19S · 60° high
SETS15:45
Reaches about 60° 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.
