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-49.8° (< −18°)
22:05:15
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 8m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:41
Civil Dusk18:08
Nautical18:39
Full Dark19:10
Nadir00:15
Dark Ends05:20
Nautical05:51
Civil Dawn06:22
Sunrise06:49
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE52.3°
DISTANCE379,843 km
Moonrise16:03
Moonset04:39
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX73% · 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 | -55.7° | 300° | Libra | 07:03 | 12:10 | 17:10 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -29.1° | 34° | Leo | 01:13 | 08:04 | 14:57 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Optimal Visibility | 0.3 | 50.0° | 157° | Pisces | 16:55 | 23:02 | 05:08 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -22.0° | 40° | Cancer | 00:26 | 07:30 | 14:36 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -41.9° | 277° | Libra | 08:40 | 13:34 | 18:23 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Optimal Visibility | 5.6 | 30.4° | 87° | Taurus | 19:18 | 02:33 | 09:48 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Optimal Visibility | 7.8 | 49.9° | 169° | Pisces | 16:32 | 22:32 | 04:33 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:03
BEST TIME22:15S · 52° high
SETS04:39
Reaches about 52° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Heavy Lunar Wash.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:13
BEST TIME08:04S · 65° high
SETS14:57
Reaches about 65° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:55
BEST TIME23:02S · 52° high
SETS05:08
Reaches about 52° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES07:03
BEST TIME12:10S · 33° high
SETS17:10
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
RISES00:26
BEST TIME07:30S · 69° high
SETS14:36
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.
