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-24.3° (< −18°)
19:16:26
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 8m of true darkness · 12h 53m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:21
Civil Dusk17:46
Nautical18:15
Full Dark18:44
Nadir23:47
Dark Ends04:51
Nautical05:20
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%
ALTITUDE42.8°
DISTANCE380,475 km
Moonrise15:35
Moonset04:07
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX63% · Heavy Lunar Wash
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
70/100
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 | -28.9° | 267° | Libra | 06:23 | 11:43 | 16:55 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -42.1° | 353° | Leo | 00:56 | 07:39 | 14:19 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Optimal Visibility | 0.3 | 33.8° | 113° | Pisces | 16:29 | 22:34 | 04:40 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -38.8° | 4° | Cancer | 00:12 | 07:03 | 13:55 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -12.8° | 253° | Libra | 08:01 | 13:06 | 18:11 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Rising / Setting | 5.6 | 1.6° | 66° | Taurus | 19:07 | 02:06 | 09:09 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Optimal Visibility | 7.8 | 38.2° | 121° | Pisces | 16:04 | 22:05 | 04:05 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES15:35
BEST TIME21:47S · 59° high
SETS04:07
Reaches about 59° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Heavy Lunar Wash.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:56
BEST TIME07:39S · 72° high
SETS14:19
Reaches about 72° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:29
BEST TIME22:34S · 59° high
SETS04:40
Reaches about 59° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES06:23
BEST TIME11:43S · 39° high
SETS16:55
Reaches about 39° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:12
BEST TIME07:03S · 75° high
SETS13:55
Reaches about 75° 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.
