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-47.3° (< −18°)
21:10:17
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 8m of true darkness · 12h 54m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:22
Civil Dusk17:48
Nautical18:17
Full Dark18:45
Nadir23:49
Dark Ends04:53
Nautical05:22
Civil Dawn05:51
Sunrise06:16
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE56.7°
DISTANCE380,048 km
Moonrise15:37
Moonset04:10
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 | -52.4° | 285° | Libra | 06:26 | 11:44 | 16:56 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -37.2° | 28° | Leo | 00:57 | 07:38 | 14:22 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Optimal Visibility | 0.3 | 52.1° | 143° | Pisces | 16:31 | 22:36 | 04:42 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -30.3° | 35° | Cancer | 00:13 | 07:04 | 13:58 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -36.1° | 267° | Libra | 08:01 | 13:08 | 18:12 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Visible Low | 5.6 | 23.8° | 80° | Taurus | 19:07 | 02:08 | 09:12 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Optimal Visibility | 7.8 | 53.6° | 155° | Pisces | 16:06 | 22:07 | 04:07 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES15:37
BEST TIME21:49S · 58° high
SETS04:10
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 TIME07:38S · 71° high
SETS14:22
Reaches about 71° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:31
BEST TIME22:36S · 58° high
SETS04:42
Reaches about 58° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES06:26
BEST TIME11:44S · 39° high
SETS16:56
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
RISES00:13
BEST TIME07:04S · 74° high
SETS13:58
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.
