Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Nautical Twilight-10.8° (−6° to −12°)
19:19:21
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 7m of true darkness · 13h 43m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:12
Civil Dusk18:45
Nautical19:23
Full Dark20:00
Nadir01:03
Dark Ends06:07
Nautical06:44
Civil Dawn07:22
Sunrise07:55
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE22.0°
DISTANCE380,126 km
Moonrise16:51
Moonset05:41
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX35% · 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 | -16.8° | 262° | Libra | 08:27 | 12:58 | 17:29 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -21.8° | 335° | Leo | 01:37 | 08:55 | 16:09 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 15.2° | 106° | Pisces | 17:40 | 23:50 | 05:59 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -20.3° | 345° | Cancer | 00:44 | 08:20 | 15:54 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -5.9° | 245° | Libra | 10:07 | 14:21 | 18:36 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -1.2° | 53° | Taurus | 19:29 | 03:21 | 11:17 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 18.2° | 114° | Pisces | 17:19 | 23:20 | 05:21 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES16:51
BEST TIME23:08S · 42° high
SETS05:41
Reaches about 42° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:37
BEST TIME08:55S · 54° high
SETS16:09
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
RISES17:40
BEST TIME23:50S · 41° high
SETS05:59
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
RISES08:27
BEST TIME12:58S · 22° high
SETS17:29
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
RISES00:44
BEST TIME08:20S · 58° high
SETS15:54
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.
