Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Nautical Twilight-6.5° (−6° to −12°)
19:07:41
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 6m of true darkness · 13h 44m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:27
Civil Dusk19:00
Nautical19:38
Full Dark20:15
Nadir01:19
Dark Ends06:22
Nautical06:59
Civil Dawn07:37
Sunrise08:11
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE18.0°
DISTANCE380,170 km
Moonrise17:07
Moonset05:57
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 | -12.6° | 258° | Libra | 08:43 | 13:13 | 17:44 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -19.6° | 329° | Leo | 01:52 | 09:10 | 16:25 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 11.0° | 101° | Pisces | 17:56 | 00:05 | 06:14 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -18.7° | 338° | Cancer | 00:59 | 08:35 | 16:10 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -2.2° | 240° | Libra | 10:22 | 14:37 | 18:51 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -4.5° | 48° | Taurus | 19:43 | 03:36 | 11:33 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 14.1° | 108° | Pisces | 17:34 | 23:35 | 05:36 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:07
BEST TIME23:23S · 42° high
SETS05:57
Reaches about 42° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:52
BEST TIME09:10S · 54° high
SETS16:25
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
RISES17:56
BEST TIME00:05S · 41° high
SETS06:14
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 TIME13:13S · 22° high
SETS17:44
Reaches about 22° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:59
BEST TIME08:35S · 58° high
SETS16:10
Reaches about 58° 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.
