OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

44.36°N, 11.64°EEurope/Rome

Deep Astronomical Night-20.9° (< −18°)

20:12:21

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 23m total night

DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset18:16

Civil Dusk18:46

Nautical19:19

Full Dark19:53

Nadir00:58

Dark Ends06:02

Nautical06:36

Civil Dawn07:10

Sunrise07:39

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE33.5°

DISTANCE379,928 km

Moonrise16:47

Moonset05:31

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX51% · Moderate Lunar Glow

Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

74/100

Good Stargazing

Fine observing conditions. Open star clusters and nebulae will exhibit crisp structure.

CLOUD COVER15%

HUMIDITY50%

VISIBILITY18 km

DEW POINT10.8°C

PLANETARY EPHEMERIS & ALMANAC

Visible Planets Tonight

All times calibrated to Europe/Rome

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Below Horizon	-4.3	-26.5°	271°	Libra	07:57	12:52	17:40	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-30.3°	350°	Leo	01:45	08:49	15:50	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	26.5°	117°	Pisces	17:36	23:44	05:52	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-27.3°	360°	Cancer	00:56	08:14	15:31	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-13.4°	254°	Libra	09:41	14:16	18:51	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Rising / Setting	5.6	3.9°	64°	Taurus	19:45	03:15	10:50	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	29.6°	125°	Pisces	17:14	23:14	05:15	Telescope

TONIGHT'S VIEWING SCHEDULE

When & Where to Look Tonight

A simple guide to when each object is above your horizon. No astronomy chart reading required.

BEST TIMEHighest in your sky

The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES16:47

BEST TIME23:02S · 48° high

SETS05:31

Reaches about 48° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:45

BEST TIME08:49S · 60° high

SETS15:50

Reaches about 60° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES17:36

BEST TIME23:44S · 47° high

SETS05:52

Reaches about 47° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · Good height

RISES07:57

BEST TIME12:52S · 28° high

SETS17:40

Reaches about 28° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES00:56

BEST TIME08:14S · 64° high

SETS15:31

Reaches about 64° above the horizon at its highest point.Distinctive crimson hue; polar ice cap discernible near opposition.

OBSERVING LOG & TARGET LIST

Tonight's Prime Deep-Sky Targets

0 / 6 targets logged tonight

M31 / NGC 224 · Andromeda

Andromeda Galaxy

Spiral Galaxy (2.5M ly)

Our galactic neighbor; visible as a ghostly oval smudge with dense radiant stellar core.

M45 · Taurus

The Pleiades (Seven Sisters)

Open Star Cluster

Breathtaking blue diamond cluster enshrouded in delicate interstellar reflection nebulosity.

M42 / NGC 1976 · Orion

Great Orion Nebula

Diffuse Emission Nebula

Star nursery harboring the brilliant Trapezium cluster with sprawling bat-wing filaments.

NGC 869 & NGC 884 · Perseus

The Double Cluster

Twin Open Clusters

Pair of spectacular shimmering jewel-boxes bursting with ruby supergiant stars.

M13 / NGC 6205 · Hercules

Great Globular Cluster in Hercules

Globular Cluster (300k stars)

Massive beehive of ancient stars packed tightly together into a blazing central ball.

M57 / NGC 6720 · Lyra

The Ring Nebula

Planetary Nebula

Delicate glowing smoke-ring left behind by a dying star 2,500 light-years away.