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-42.2° (< −18°)
21:02:16
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
Sunset17:26
Civil Dusk17:53
Nautical18:23
Full Dark18:54
Nadir23:59
Dark Ends05:03
Nautical05:34
Civil Dawn06:05
Sunrise06:31
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE51.0°
DISTANCE380,078 km
Moonrise15:46
Moonset04:21
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX72% · 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 | -47.7° | 287° | Libra | 06:44 | 11:54 | 16:56 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -34.3° | 22° | Leo | 00:58 | 07:47 | 14:39 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Optimal Visibility | 0.3 | 46.2° | 141° | Pisces | 16:39 | 22:46 | 04:52 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -28.1° | 29° | Cancer | 00:12 | 07:14 | 14:17 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -32.8° | 268° | Libra | 08:21 | 13:17 | 18:10 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Visible Low | 5.6 | 21.3° | 79° | Taurus | 19:04 | 02:17 | 09:33 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Optimal Visibility | 7.8 | 47.8° | 152° | Pisces | 16:15 | 22:16 | 04:16 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES15:46
BEST TIME21:58S · 53° high
SETS04:21
Reaches about 53° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Heavy Lunar Wash.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:58
BEST TIME07:47S · 66° high
SETS14:39
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
RISES16:39
BEST TIME22:46S · 53° high
SETS04:52
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
RISES06:44
BEST TIME11:54S · 34° high
SETS16:56
Reaches about 34° 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 TIME07:14S · 70° high
SETS14:17
Reaches about 70° 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.
