OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

52.43°N, 8.61°EEurope/Berlin

Astronomical Twilight-16.0° (−12° to −18°)

19:57:58

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 5m of true darkness · 13h 53m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset18:13

Civil Dusk18:48

Nautical19:28

Full Dark20:07

Nadir01:10

Dark Ends06:12

Nautical06:51

Civil Dawn07:31

Sunrise08:06

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE25.1°

DISTANCE379,982 km

Moonrise16:58

Moonset05:49

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX39% · 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	-22.0°	269°	Libra	08:42	13:04	17:27	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-21.3°	344°	Leo	01:37	09:01	16:22	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	19.1°	114°	Pisces	17:46	23:56	06:06	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-18.9°	353°	Cancer	00:42	08:26	16:09	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-11.6°	251°	Libra	10:23	14:28	18:32	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Rising / Setting	5.6	3.8°	60°	Taurus	19:24	03:27	11:34	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	21.6°	122°	Pisces	17:26	23:26	05:27	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

RISES16:58

BEST TIME23:14S · 40° high

SETS05:49

Reaches about 40° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:37

BEST TIME09:01S · 52° high

SETS16:22

Reaches about 52° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · Good height

RISES17:46

BEST TIME23:56S · 39° high

SETS06:06

Reaches about 39° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · Low in the sky

RISES08:42

BEST TIME13:04S · 20° high

SETS17:27

Only reaches about 20° above the horizon. An open view is important.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES00:42

BEST TIME08:26S · 56° high

SETS16:09

Reaches about 56° 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.