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-32.0° (< −18°)
20:07:43
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 8m of true darkness · 12h 57m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:33
Civil Dusk17:58
Nautical18:28
Full Dark18:57
Nadir00:01
Dark Ends05:05
Nautical05:34
Civil Dawn06:04
Sunrise06:30
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE47.6°
DISTANCE380,282 km
Moonrise15:49
Moonset04:22
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX68% · 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 | -36.9° | 273° | Libra | 06:40 | 11:56 | 17:06 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -40.4° | 5° | Leo | 01:07 | 07:50 | 14:36 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Optimal Visibility | 0.3 | 39.9° | 123° | Pisces | 16:42 | 22:48 | 04:54 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -35.7° | 15° | Cancer | 00:22 | 07:16 | 14:12 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -20.9° | 259° | Libra | 08:19 | 13:20 | 18:21 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Rising / Setting | 5.6 | 9.3° | 71° | Taurus | 19:16 | 02:19 | 09:27 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Optimal Visibility | 7.8 | 43.4° | 132° | Pisces | 16:18 | 22:18 | 04:19 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES15:49
BEST TIME22:01S · 57° high
SETS04:22
Reaches about 57° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Heavy Lunar Wash.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:07
BEST TIME07:50S · 70° high
SETS14:36
Reaches about 70° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:42
BEST TIME22:48S · 57° high
SETS04:54
Reaches about 57° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES06:40
BEST TIME11:56S · 37° high
SETS17:06
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
RISES00:22
BEST TIME07:16S · 73° high
SETS14:12
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.
