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-36.5° (< −18°)
20:42:12
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 1m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:41
Civil Dusk18:08
Nautical18:38
Full Dark19:07
Nadir00:12
Dark Ends05:16
Nautical05:46
Civil Dawn06:16
Sunrise06:42
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE49.5°
DISTANCE380,153 km
Moonrise16:00
Moonset04:34
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 | -41.6° | 278° | Libra | 06:54 | 12:07 | 17:13 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -38.2° | 12° | Leo | 01:15 | 08:00 | 14:49 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Optimal Visibility | 0.3 | 42.9° | 130° | Pisces | 16:53 | 22:59 | 05:05 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -32.7° | 21° | Cancer | 00:30 | 07:27 | 14:26 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -26.0° | 262° | Libra | 08:29 | 13:30 | 18:28 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Visible Low | 5.6 | 14.4° | 74° | Taurus | 19:23 | 02:30 | 09:41 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Optimal Visibility | 7.8 | 45.7° | 140° | Pisces | 16:28 | 22:29 | 04:30 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:00
BEST TIME22:12S · 55° high
SETS04:34
Reaches about 55° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Heavy Lunar Wash.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:15
BEST TIME08:00S · 68° high
SETS14:49
Reaches about 68° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:53
BEST TIME22:59S · 55° high
SETS05:05
Reaches about 55° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES06:54
BEST TIME12:07S · 36° high
SETS17:13
Reaches about 36° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:30
BEST TIME07:27S · 72° high
SETS14:26
Reaches about 72° 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.
