Bright moonlight washes out deep sky targets. Focus on lunar craters and bright planets.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Deep Astronomical Night-39.7° (< −18°)
22:07:27
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 13m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:36
Civil Dusk19:04
Nautical19:36
Full Dark20:07
Nadir01:12
Dark Ends06:17
Nautical06:49
Civil Dawn07:21
Sunrise07:49
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE48.0°
DISTANCE379,723 km
Moonrise17:01
Moonset05:41
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX69% · Heavy Lunar Wash
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
68/100
Fine observing conditions. Open star clusters and nebulae will exhibit crisp structure.
CLOUD COVER15%
HUMIDITY50%
VISIBILITY18 km
DEW POINT10.8°C
| PLANET | STATUS | MAGNITUDE | ALTITUDE | AZIMUTH | CONSTELLATION | RISE | TRANSIT | SET | EQUIPMENT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venus♀ | Below Horizon | -4.3 | -45.4° | 288° | Libra | 08:03 | 13:07 | 18:03 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -32.3° | 19° | Leo | 02:07 | 09:00 | 15:57 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Optimal Visibility | 0.3 | 43.1° | 140° | Pisces | 17:52 | 23:59 | 06:06 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -26.5° | 27° | Cancer | 01:20 | 08:27 | 15:37 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -31.3° | 269° | Libra | 09:41 | 14:31 | 19:16 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Visible Low | 5.6 | 20.2° | 79° | Taurus | 20:10 | 03:30 | 10:54 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Optimal Visibility | 7.8 | 44.7° | 150° | Pisces | 17:28 | 23:29 | 05:30 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:01
BEST TIME23:15S · 51° high
SETS05:41
Reaches about 51° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Heavy Lunar Wash.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:07
BEST TIME09:00S · 64° high
SETS15:57
Reaches about 64° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:52
BEST TIME23:59S · 51° high
SETS06:06
Reaches about 51° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:03
BEST TIME13:07S · 31° high
SETS18:03
Reaches about 31° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:20
BEST TIME08:27S · 67° high
SETS15:37
Reaches about 67° 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.
