Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Civil Twilight-3.4° (0° to −6°)
18:02:06
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 8m of true darkness · 13h 33m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:42
Civil Dusk18:13
Nautical18:49
Full Dark19:24
Nadir00:29
Dark Ends05:32
Nautical06:08
Civil Dawn06:44
Sunrise07:15
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE16.6°
DISTANCE380,416 km
Moonrise16:17
Moonset05:02
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 | -9.3° | 254° | Libra | 07:44 | 12:23 | 17:03 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -20.5° | 324° | Leo | 01:09 | 08:20 | 15:27 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Rising / Setting | 0.3 | 8.9° | 97° | Pisces | 17:07 | 23:15 | 05:23 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -20.2° | 334° | Cancer | 00:18 | 07:45 | 15:11 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Rising / Setting | 0.4 | 1.3° | 237° | Libra | 09:22 | 13:47 | 18:12 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -8.4° | 45° | Taurus | 19:05 | 02:46 | 10:31 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 12.4° | 104° | Pisces | 16:45 | 22:45 | 04:46 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES16:17
BEST TIME22:32S · 45° high
SETS05:02
Reaches about 45° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:09
BEST TIME08:20S · 57° high
SETS15:27
Reaches about 57° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:07
BEST TIME23:15S · 44° high
SETS05:23
Reaches about 44° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES07:44
BEST TIME12:23S · 25° high
SETS17:03
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
RISES00:18
BEST TIME07:45S · 61° high
SETS15:11
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.
