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-55.4° (< −18°)
21:59:32
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 1m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:14
Civil Dusk17:40
Nautical18:10
Full Dark18:40
Nadir23:45
Dark Ends04:49
Nautical05:19
Civil Dawn05:49
Sunrise06:15
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE54.9°
DISTANCE379,864 km
Moonrise15:32
Moonset04:06
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX76% · 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 | -61.4° | 304° | Libra | 06:27 | 11:40 | 16:46 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -28.3° | 41° | Leo | 00:47 | 07:33 | 14:22 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Optimal Visibility | 0.3 | 54.1° | 166° | Pisces | 16:26 | 22:32 | 04:38 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -20.7° | 46° | Cancer | 00:02 | 07:00 | 13:59 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -47.1° | 279° | Libra | 08:03 | 13:03 | 18:00 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Optimal Visibility | 5.6 | 35.2° | 89° | Taurus | 18:55 | 02:03 | 09:11 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Optimal Visibility | 7.8 | 53.1° | 179° | Pisces | 16:01 | 22:02 | 04:03 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES15:32
BEST TIME21:44S · 55° high
SETS04:06
Reaches about 55° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Heavy Lunar Wash.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:47
BEST TIME07:33S · 68° high
SETS14:22
Reaches about 68° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:26
BEST TIME22:32S · 55° high
SETS04:38
Reaches about 55° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES06:27
BEST TIME11:40S · 35° high
SETS16:46
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
RISES00:02
BEST TIME07:00S · 71° high
SETS13:59
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.
