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-36.6° (< −18°)
21:31:58
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 12h 59m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:33
Civil Dusk18:59
Nautical19:28
Full Dark19:58
Nadir01:02
Dark Ends06:06
Nautical06:36
Civil Dawn07:06
Sunrise07:32
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE50.2°
DISTANCE379,855 km
Moonrise16:52
Moonset05:28
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX71% · Heavy Lunar Wash
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
67/100
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 | -41.6° | 277° | Libra | 07:42 | 12:57 | 18:05 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -39.1° | 12° | Leo | 02:07 | 08:51 | 15:38 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Optimal Visibility | 0.3 | 43.4° | 129° | Pisces | 17:43 | 23:49 | 05:55 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -33.6° | 21° | Cancer | 01:22 | 08:17 | 15:14 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -25.8° | 262° | Libra | 09:17 | 14:21 | 19:20 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Visible Low | 5.6 | 14.0° | 74° | Taurus | 20:15 | 03:20 | 10:29 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Optimal Visibility | 7.8 | 46.3° | 139° | Pisces | 17:19 | 23:19 | 05:20 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:52
BEST TIME23:05S · 57° high
SETS05:28
Reaches about 57° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Heavy Lunar Wash.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:07
BEST TIME08:51S · 69° high
SETS15:38
Reaches about 69° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:43
BEST TIME23:49S · 56° high
SETS05:55
Reaches about 56° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES07:42
BEST TIME12:57S · 37° high
SETS18:05
Reaches about 37° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:22
BEST TIME08:17S · 73° high
SETS15:14
Reaches about 73° 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.
