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-30.9° (< −18°)
19:48:53
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 7m of true darkness · 12h 49m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:25
Civil Dusk17:50
Nautical18:18
Full Dark18:46
Nadir23:50
Dark Ends04:53
Nautical05:21
Civil Dawn05:49
Sunrise06:14
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE49.0°
DISTANCE380,353 km
Moonrise15:37
Moonset04:09
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX70% · 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 | -35.3° | 269° | Libra | 06:22 | 11:45 | 17:01 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -44.2° | 3° | Leo | 01:01 | 07:38 | 14:19 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Optimal Visibility | 0.3 | 40.4° | 118° | Pisces | 16:32 | 22:37 | 04:42 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -39.7° | 13° | Cancer | 00:18 | 07:05 | 13:54 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -18.5° | 256° | Libra | 07:59 | 13:08 | 18:17 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Rising / Setting | 5.6 | 6.6° | 69° | Taurus | 19:13 | 02:08 | 09:07 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Optimal Visibility | 7.8 | 44.5° | 127° | Pisces | 16:06 | 22:07 | 04:08 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES15:37
BEST TIME21:49S · 61° high
SETS04:09
Reaches about 61° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Heavy Lunar Wash.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:01
BEST TIME07:38S · 73° high
SETS14:19
Reaches about 73° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:32
BEST TIME22:37S · 60° high
SETS04:42
Reaches about 60° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES06:22
BEST TIME11:45S · 41° high
SETS17:01
Reaches about 41° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:18
BEST TIME07:05S · 77° high
SETS13:54
Reaches about 77° 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.
