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-49.4° (< −18°)
21:49:21
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 7m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:30
Civil Dusk17:57
Nautical18:28
Full Dark18:58
Nadir00:03
Dark Ends05:08
Nautical05:38
Civil Dawn06:10
Sunrise06:37
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°
DISTANCE379,902 km
Moonrise15:51
Moonset04:26
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 | -55.3° | 298° | Libra | 06:50 | 11:58 | 16:59 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -29.9° | 33° | Leo | 01:02 | 07:52 | 14:45 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Optimal Visibility | 0.3 | 50.1° | 156° | Pisces | 16:44 | 22:50 | 04:56 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -22.9° | 39° | Cancer | 00:16 | 07:18 | 14:23 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -41.2° | 276° | Libra | 08:27 | 13:22 | 18:13 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Visible Low | 5.6 | 29.6° | 86° | Taurus | 19:07 | 02:21 | 09:35 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Optimal Visibility | 7.8 | 50.2° | 168° | Pisces | 16:20 | 22:20 | 04:21 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES15:51
BEST TIME22:03S · 53° high
SETS04:26
Reaches about 53° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Heavy Lunar Wash.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:02
BEST TIME07:52S · 66° high
SETS14:45
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
RISES16:44
BEST TIME22:50S · 53° high
SETS04:56
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
RISES06:50
BEST TIME11:58S · 33° high
SETS16:59
Reaches about 33° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:16
BEST TIME07:18S · 69° high
SETS14:23
Reaches about 69° 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.
