Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Nautical Twilight-7.5° (−6° to −12°)
18:57:57
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 8m of true darkness · 13h 35m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:13
Civil Dusk18:45
Nautical19:21
Full Dark19:56
Nadir01:00
Dark Ends06:04
Nautical06:40
Civil Dawn07:16
Sunrise07:48
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE20.2°
DISTANCE380,207 km
Moonrise16:49
Moonset05:36
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX32% · Moderate Lunar Glow
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
61/100
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 | -13.4° | 258° | Libra | 08:17 | 12:55 | 17:33 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -22.5° | 330° | Leo | 01:40 | 08:52 | 16:00 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 12.8° | 102° | Pisces | 17:38 | 23:47 | 05:55 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -21.6° | 340° | Cancer | 00:49 | 08:17 | 15:43 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -2.1° | 241° | Libra | 09:55 | 14:19 | 18:42 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -5.1° | 50° | Taurus | 19:36 | 03:18 | 11:04 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 16.2° | 109° | Pisces | 17:16 | 23:17 | 05:18 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES16:49
BEST TIME23:05S · 44° high
SETS05:36
Reaches about 44° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:40
BEST TIME08:52S · 57° high
SETS16:00
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
RISES17:38
BEST TIME23:47S · 44° high
SETS05:55
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
RISES08:17
BEST TIME12:55S · 24° high
SETS17:33
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
RISES00:49
BEST TIME08:17S · 60° high
SETS15:43
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.
