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-44.8° (< −18°)
20:43:07
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 7m of true darkness · 12h 51m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:12
Civil Dusk17:37
Nautical18:05
Full Dark18:33
Nadir23:37
Dark Ends04:41
Nautical05:09
Civil Dawn05:38
Sunrise06:03
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE56.9°
DISTANCE380,150 km
Moonrise15:24
Moonset03:56
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 | -49.6° | 280° | Libra | 06:11 | 11:32 | 16:47 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -39.9° | 24° | Leo | 00:47 | 07:26 | 14:08 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Optimal Visibility | 0.3 | 51.1° | 137° | Pisces | 16:19 | 22:24 | 04:29 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -33.2° | 32° | Cancer | 00:03 | 06:52 | 13:43 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -32.9° | 265° | Libra | 07:45 | 12:56 | 18:03 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Visible Low | 5.6 | 20.5° | 77° | Taurus | 18:58 | 01:55 | 08:57 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Optimal Visibility | 7.8 | 53.4° | 149° | Pisces | 15:54 | 21:54 | 03:55 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES15:24
BEST TIME21:36S · 60° high
SETS03:56
Reaches about 60° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Heavy Lunar Wash.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:47
BEST TIME07:26S · 72° high
SETS14:08
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
RISES16:19
BEST TIME22:24S · 59° high
SETS04:29
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
RISES06:11
BEST TIME11:32S · 40° high
SETS16:47
Reaches about 40° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:03
BEST TIME06:52S · 76° high
SETS13:43
Reaches about 76° 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.
