Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Nautical Twilight-11.5° (−6° to −12°)
19:37:01
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 7m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:38
Civil Dusk19:05
Nautical19:36
Full Dark20:07
Nadir01:12
Dark Ends06:16
Nautical06:47
Civil Dawn07:18
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%
ALTITUDE28.4°
DISTANCE380,285 km
Moonrise17:01
Moonset05:39
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX44% · Moderate Lunar Glow
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
56/100
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 | -16.7° | 260° | Libra | 08:06 | 13:06 | 18:08 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -32.8° | 335° | Leo | 02:11 | 09:04 | 15:53 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 19.7° | 105° | Pisces | 17:52 | 23:59 | 06:05 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -31.7° | 346° | Cancer | 01:24 | 08:29 | 15:31 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -2.6° | 246° | Libra | 09:39 | 14:30 | 19:21 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -6.6° | 56° | Taurus | 20:16 | 03:30 | 10:47 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 24.0° | 111° | Pisces | 17:28 | 23:29 | 05:29 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:01
BEST TIME23:15S · 53° high
SETS05:39
Reaches about 53° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:11
BEST TIME09:04S · 66° high
SETS15:53
Reaches about 66° 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 · 53° high
SETS06:05
Reaches about 53° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:06
BEST TIME13:06S · 33° high
SETS18:08
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
RISES01:24
BEST TIME08:29S · 69° high
SETS15:31
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.
