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-50.6° (< −18°)
21:39:13
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 8m of true darkness · 12h 58m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:28
Civil Dusk17:54
Nautical18:23
Full Dark18:53
Nadir23:57
Dark Ends05:01
Nautical05:31
Civil Dawn06:00
Sunrise06:26
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE56.1°
DISTANCE379,940 km
Moonrise15:45
Moonset04:18
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX77% · Heavy Lunar Wash
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
65/100
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 | -56.1° | 292° | Libra | 06:37 | 11:52 | 17:01 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -33.4° | 33° | Leo | 01:02 | 07:46 | 14:33 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Optimal Visibility | 0.3 | 53.0° | 152° | Pisces | 16:38 | 22:44 | 04:50 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -26.2° | 39° | Cancer | 00:17 | 07:12 | 14:09 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -40.6° | 272° | Libra | 08:12 | 13:16 | 18:16 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Visible Low | 5.6 | 28.4° | 83° | Taurus | 19:11 | 02:15 | 09:20 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Optimal Visibility | 7.8 | 53.5° | 165° | Pisces | 16:14 | 22:14 | 04:15 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES15:45
BEST TIME21:57S · 56° high
SETS04:18
Reaches about 56° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Heavy Lunar Wash.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:02
BEST TIME07:46S · 69° high
SETS14:33
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
RISES16:38
BEST TIME22:44S · 56° high
SETS04:50
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
RISES06:37
BEST TIME11:52S · 37° high
SETS17:01
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
RISES00:17
BEST TIME07:12S · 73° high
SETS14:09
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.
