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-32.0° (< −18°)
19:55:42
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 0m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:18
Civil Dusk17:44
Nautical18:14
Full Dark18:44
Nadir23:48
Dark Ends04:53
Nautical05:22
Civil Dawn05:52
Sunrise06:18
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE46.8°
DISTANCE380,327 km
Moonrise15:36
Moonset04:09
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX67% · Heavy Lunar Wash
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
68/100
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 | -36.9° | 274° | Libra | 06:29 | 11:43 | 16:51 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -39.3° | 5° | Leo | 00:52 | 07:37 | 14:25 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Optimal Visibility | 0.3 | 39.4° | 124° | Pisces | 16:29 | 22:35 | 04:41 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -34.6° | 15° | Cancer | 00:07 | 07:03 | 14:02 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -21.3° | 259° | Libra | 08:09 | 13:07 | 18:05 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Rising / Setting | 5.6 | 9.8° | 71° | Taurus | 19:00 | 02:06 | 09:17 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Optimal Visibility | 7.8 | 42.7° | 133° | Pisces | 16:05 | 22:06 | 04:06 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES15:36
BEST TIME21:48S · 56° high
SETS04:09
Reaches about 56° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Heavy Lunar Wash.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:52
BEST TIME07:37S · 69° high
SETS14:25
Reaches about 69° 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 TIME22:35S · 56° high
SETS04:41
Reaches about 56° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES06:29
BEST TIME11:43S · 36° high
SETS16:51
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
RISES00:07
BEST TIME07:03S · 72° high
SETS14:02
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.
