Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Nautical Twilight-9.8° (−6° to −12°)
19:36:46
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 8m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:46
Civil Dusk19:14
Nautical19:45
Full Dark20:16
Nadir01:20
Dark Ends06:25
Nautical06:56
Civil Dawn07:27
Sunrise07:55
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE26.7°
DISTANCE380,286 km
Moonrise17:10
Moonset05:49
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX41% · Moderate Lunar Glow
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
57/100
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 | -15.1° | 259° | Libra | 08:15 | 13:15 | 18:15 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -31.7° | 333° | Leo | 02:18 | 09:12 | 16:02 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 18.0° | 103° | Pisces | 18:01 | 00:07 | 06:13 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -30.9° | 343° | Cancer | 01:32 | 08:37 | 15:41 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -1.2° | 244° | Libra | 09:49 | 14:39 | 19:29 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -7.8° | 54° | Taurus | 20:24 | 03:38 | 10:57 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 22.3° | 110° | Pisces | 17:37 | 23:37 | 05:38 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:10
BEST TIME23:23S · 53° high
SETS05:49
Reaches about 53° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:18
BEST TIME09:12S · 65° high
SETS16:02
Reaches about 65° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES18:01
BEST TIME00:07S · 52° high
SETS06:13
Reaches about 52° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:15
BEST TIME13:15S · 33° high
SETS18:15
Reaches about 33° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:32
BEST TIME08:37S · 69° high
SETS15:41
Reaches about 69° 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.
