Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Nautical Twilight-11.9° (−6° to −12°)
19:15:57
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 6m of true darkness · 13h 45m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:01
Civil Dusk18:35
Nautical19:13
Full Dark19:50
Nadir00:54
Dark Ends05:57
Nautical06:34
Civil Dawn07:13
Sunrise07:46
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE22.7°
DISTANCE380,139 km
Moonrise16:42
Moonset05:31
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX36% · Moderate Lunar Glow
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
59/100
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 | -17.9° | 264° | Libra | 08:19 | 12:48 | 17:18 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -21.8° | 337° | Leo | 01:26 | 08:45 | 16:00 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 16.0° | 108° | Pisces | 17:31 | 23:40 | 05:49 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -20.1° | 346° | Cancer | 00:33 | 08:10 | 15:46 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -7.1° | 246° | Libra | 09:59 | 14:12 | 18:25 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -0.2° | 55° | Taurus | 19:17 | 03:11 | 11:09 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 18.9° | 115° | Pisces | 17:10 | 23:10 | 05:11 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES16:42
BEST TIME22:58S · 42° high
SETS05:31
Reaches about 42° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:26
BEST TIME08:45S · 54° high
SETS16:00
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
RISES17:31
BEST TIME23:40S · 41° high
SETS05:49
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
RISES08:19
BEST TIME12:48S · 21° high
SETS17:18
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
RISES00:33
BEST TIME08:10S · 58° high
SETS15:46
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.
