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-62.6° (< −18°)
22:43:14
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 8m of true darkness · 12h 56m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:23
Civil Dusk17:48
Nautical18:18
Full Dark18:47
Nadir23:51
Dark Ends04:55
Nautical05:24
Civil Dawn05:53
Sunrise06:18
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE55.6°
DISTANCE379,701 km
Moonrise15:38
Moonset04:11
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX77% · Heavy Lunar Wash
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
65/100
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 | -68.9° | 316° | Libra | 06:28 | 11:46 | 16:57 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -24.6° | 50° | Leo | 00:57 | 07:39 | 14:25 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Optimal Visibility | 0.3 | 57.4° | 182° | Pisces | 16:32 | 22:38 | 04:43 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -16.4° | 54° | Cancer | 00:13 | 07:06 | 14:01 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -55.2° | 283° | Libra | 08:03 | 13:09 | 18:12 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Optimal Visibility | 5.6 | 42.9° | 92° | Taurus | 19:07 | 02:09 | 09:11 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Optimal Visibility | 7.8 | 54.6° | 195° | Pisces | 16:07 | 22:08 | 04:09 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES15:38
BEST TIME21:50S · 58° high
SETS04:11
Reaches about 58° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Heavy Lunar Wash.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:57
BEST TIME07:39S · 70° high
SETS14:25
Reaches about 70° 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 TIME22:38S · 57° high
SETS04:43
Reaches about 57° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES06:28
BEST TIME11:46S · 38° high
SETS16:57
Reaches about 38° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:13
BEST TIME07:06S · 74° high
SETS14:01
Reaches about 74° 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.
