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-43.5° (< −18°)
21:02:27
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 2m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:24
Civil Dusk17:50
Nautical18:21
Full Dark18:51
Nadir23:55
Dark Ends04:59
Nautical05:29
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%
ALTITUDE52.6°
DISTANCE380,077 km
Moonrise15:43
Moonset04:17
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX74% · 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 | -48.8° | 286° | Libra | 06:38 | 11:50 | 16:55 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -35.3° | 23° | Leo | 00:57 | 07:44 | 14:33 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Optimal Visibility | 0.3 | 47.7° | 141° | Pisces | 16:36 | 22:42 | 04:48 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -28.9° | 31° | Cancer | 00:12 | 07:10 | 14:11 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -33.5° | 268° | Libra | 08:14 | 13:14 | 18:10 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Visible Low | 5.6 | 21.7° | 79° | Taurus | 19:05 | 02:13 | 09:26 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Optimal Visibility | 7.8 | 49.4° | 152° | Pisces | 16:12 | 22:12 | 04:13 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES15:43
BEST TIME21:55S · 55° high
SETS04:17
Reaches about 55° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Heavy Lunar Wash.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:57
BEST TIME07:44S · 68° high
SETS14:33
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
RISES16:36
BEST TIME22:42S · 55° high
SETS04:48
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
RISES06:38
BEST TIME11:50S · 35° high
SETS16:55
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
RISES00:12
BEST TIME07:10S · 71° high
SETS14:11
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.
