OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

41.08°N, 15.15°EEurope/Rome

Deep Astronomical Night-33.3° (< −18°)

21:03:25

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 10m of true darkness · 13h 14m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset18:07

Civil Dusk18:35

Nautical19:07

Full Dark19:39

Nadir00:44

Dark Ends05:48

Nautical06:20

Civil Dawn06:52

Sunrise07:20

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE44.3°

DISTANCE379,738 km

Moonrise16:33

Moonset05:14

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX65% · Heavy Lunar Wash

Bright moonlight washes out deep sky targets. Focus on lunar craters and bright planets.

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

69/100

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	-38.8°	281°	Libra	07:35	12:38	17:34	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-33.7°	9°	Leo	01:38	08:32	15:29	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Optimal Visibility	0.3	38.3°	130°	Pisces	17:23	23:30	05:37	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-28.8°	17°	Cancer	00:50	07:58	15:08	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-24.6°	263°	Libra	09:17	14:02	18:47	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Visible Low	5.6	13.8°	74°	Taurus	19:41	03:01	10:26	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Optimal Visibility	7.8	40.7°	140°	Pisces	17:00	23:00	05:01	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

RISES16:33

BEST TIME22:47S · 51° high

SETS05:14

Reaches about 51° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Heavy Lunar Wash.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:38

BEST TIME08:32S · 63° high

SETS15:29

Reaches about 63° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES17:23

BEST TIME23:30S · 50° high

SETS05:37

Reaches about 50° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · Good height

RISES07:35

BEST TIME12:38S · 31° high

SETS17:34

Reaches about 31° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES00:50

BEST TIME07:58S · 67° high

SETS15:08

Reaches about 67° 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.