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-33.7° (< −18°)
20:28:39
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 5m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:38
Civil Dusk18:05
Nautical18:35
Full Dark19:06
Nadir00:10
Dark Ends05:15
Nautical05:45
Civil Dawn06:16
Sunrise06:43
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE46.7°
DISTANCE380,204 km
Moonrise15:58
Moonset04:33
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX67% · Heavy Lunar Wash
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
68/100
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 | -38.9° | 277° | Libra | 06:55 | 12:05 | 17:09 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -37.0° | 8° | Leo | 01:11 | 07:59 | 14:50 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Optimal Visibility | 0.3 | 40.0° | 128° | Pisces | 16:51 | 22:57 | 05:04 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -32.0° | 17° | Cancer | 00:25 | 07:26 | 14:28 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -23.8° | 262° | Libra | 08:36 | 13:29 | 18:23 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Visible Low | 5.6 | 12.5° | 73° | Taurus | 19:17 | 02:29 | 09:44 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Optimal Visibility | 7.8 | 42.9° | 137° | Pisces | 16:27 | 22:28 | 04:28 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES15:58
BEST TIME22:10S · 54° high
SETS04:33
Reaches about 54° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Heavy Lunar Wash.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:11
BEST TIME07:59S · 67° high
SETS14:50
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
RISES16:51
BEST TIME22:57S · 54° high
SETS05:04
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
RISES06:55
BEST TIME12:05S · 34° high
SETS17:09
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
RISES00:25
BEST TIME07:26S · 70° high
SETS14:28
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.
