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-42.8° (< −18°)
20:57:52
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 3m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:22
Civil Dusk17:48
Nautical18:19
Full Dark18:49
Nadir23:53
Dark Ends04:58
Nautical05:28
Civil Dawn05:58
Sunrise06:25
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE52.1°
DISTANCE380,094 km
Moonrise15:41
Moonset04:15
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX73% · Heavy Lunar Wash
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
66/100
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 | -48.2° | 286° | Libra | 06:37 | 11:48 | 16:53 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -35.3° | 22° | Leo | 00:55 | 07:42 | 14:32 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Optimal Visibility | 0.3 | 47.1° | 140° | Pisces | 16:34 | 22:40 | 04:46 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -29.0° | 30° | Cancer | 00:09 | 07:08 | 14:09 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -32.9° | 268° | Libra | 08:13 | 13:12 | 18:07 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Visible Low | 5.6 | 21.2° | 79° | Taurus | 19:02 | 02:12 | 09:25 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Optimal Visibility | 7.8 | 48.9° | 151° | Pisces | 16:10 | 22:11 | 04:11 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES15:41
BEST TIME21:53S · 54° high
SETS04:15
Reaches about 54° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Heavy Lunar Wash.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:55
BEST TIME07:42S · 67° high
SETS14:32
Reaches about 67° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:34
BEST TIME22:40S · 54° high
SETS04:46
Reaches about 54° 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 TIME11:48S · 35° high
SETS16:53
Reaches about 35° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:09
BEST TIME07:08S · 71° high
SETS14:09
Reaches about 71° 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.
