OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

44.64°N, 10.57°EEurope/Rome

Deep Astronomical Night-26.7° (< −18°)

20:49:30

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 24m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset18:20

Civil Dusk18:50

Nautical19:23

Full Dark19:57

Nadir01:02

Dark Ends06:06

Nautical06:40

Civil Dawn07:14

Sunrise07:44

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE37.7°

DISTANCE379,789 km

Moonrise16:51

Moonset05:35

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX57% · Moderate Lunar Glow

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

72/100

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	-32.4°	277°	Libra	08:02	12:56	17:43	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-30.5°	359°	Leo	01:49	08:53	15:54	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Optimal Visibility	0.3	31.4°	124°	Pisces	17:41	23:48	05:56	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-26.6°	8°	Cancer	00:59	08:17	15:36	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-19.2°	260°	Libra	09:46	14:20	18:54	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Rising / Setting	5.6	9.3°	70°	Taurus	19:48	03:19	10:55	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Optimal Visibility	7.8	34.1°	133°	Pisces	17:18	23:19	05:19	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

RISES16:51

BEST TIME23:06S · 48° high

SETS05:35

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

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:49

BEST TIME08:53S · 60° high

SETS15:54

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

RISES17:41

BEST TIME23:48S · 47° high

SETS05:56

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

RISES08:02

BEST TIME12:56S · 27° high

SETS17:43

Reaches about 27° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES00:59

BEST TIME08:17S · 63° high

SETS15:36

Reaches about 63° 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.