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-40.5° (< −18°)
21:00:34
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 6m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:33
Civil Dusk18:00
Nautical18:30
Full Dark19:01
Nadir00:06
Dark Ends05:10
Nautical05:41
Civil Dawn06:12
Sunrise06:39
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE50.0°
DISTANCE380,084 km
Moonrise15:53
Moonset04:29
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 | -45.9° | 285° | Libra | 06:52 | 12:01 | 17:03 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -34.6° | 19° | Leo | 01:05 | 07:54 | 14:47 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Optimal Visibility | 0.3 | 44.8° | 138° | Pisces | 16:46 | 22:53 | 04:59 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -28.6° | 27° | Cancer | 00:19 | 07:21 | 14:25 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -31.0° | 267° | Libra | 08:29 | 13:24 | 18:16 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Visible Low | 5.6 | 19.6° | 78° | Taurus | 19:11 | 02:24 | 09:41 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Optimal Visibility | 7.8 | 46.7° | 149° | Pisces | 16:22 | 22:23 | 04:24 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES15:53
BEST TIME22:06S · 53° high
SETS04:29
Reaches about 53° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Heavy Lunar Wash.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:05
BEST TIME07:54S · 66° high
SETS14:47
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
RISES16:46
BEST TIME22:53S · 53° high
SETS04:59
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
RISES06:52
BEST TIME12:01S · 33° high
SETS17:03
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
RISES00:19
BEST TIME07:21S · 69° high
SETS14:25
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.
