Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Civil Twilight-2.6° (0° to −6°)
17:54:57
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 8m of true darkness · 13h 31m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:40
Civil Dusk18:11
Nautical18:46
Full Dark19:21
Nadir00:25
Dark Ends05:30
Nautical06:05
Civil Dawn06:40
Sunrise07:11
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE16.1°
DISTANCE380,443 km
Moonrise16:14
Moonset04:58
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX26% · Moderate Lunar Glow
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
48/100
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 | -8.4° | 253° | Libra | 07:39 | 12:20 | 17:02 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -20.7° | 323° | Leo | 01:08 | 08:17 | 15:23 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Rising / Setting | 0.3 | 8.3° | 97° | Pisces | 17:04 | 23:12 | 05:20 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -20.6° | 333° | Cancer | 00:17 | 07:42 | 15:05 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Rising / Setting | 0.4 | 2.1° | 236° | Libra | 09:16 | 13:44 | 18:11 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -9.4° | 44° | Taurus | 19:05 | 02:43 | 10:26 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 11.9° | 103° | Pisces | 16:42 | 22:42 | 04:43 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:14
BEST TIME22:29S · 45° high
SETS04:58
Reaches about 45° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:08
BEST TIME08:17S · 58° high
SETS15:23
Reaches about 58° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:04
BEST TIME23:12S · 45° high
SETS05:20
Reaches about 45° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES07:39
BEST TIME12:20S · 25° high
SETS17:02
Reaches about 25° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:17
BEST TIME07:42S · 61° high
SETS15:05
Reaches about 61° 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.
