OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

45.74°N, 7.42°EEurope/Rome

Deep Astronomical Night-25.4° (< −18°)

20:55:40

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 28m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset18:31

Civil Dusk19:01

Nautical19:36

Full Dark20:10

Nadir01:15

Dark Ends06:19

Nautical06:53

Civil Dawn07:28

Sunrise07:58

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE36.1°

DISTANCE379,766 km

Moonrise17:04

Moonset05:49

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX55% · Moderate Lunar Glow

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

73/100

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	-31.1°	276°	Libra	08:17	13:09	17:53	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-29.4°	357°	Leo	01:59	09:06	16:10	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	29.9°	123°	Pisces	17:53	00:01	06:09	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-25.7°	7°	Cancer	01:09	08:29	15:52	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-18.3°	259°	Libra	10:02	14:33	19:03	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Rising / Setting	5.6	8.7°	69°	Taurus	19:57	03:32	11:11	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Optimal Visibility	7.8	32.5°	132°	Pisces	17:31	23:31	05:32	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

RISES17:04

BEST TIME23:19S · 46° high

SETS05:49

Reaches about 46° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:59

BEST TIME09:06S · 59° high

SETS16:10

Reaches about 59° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES17:53

BEST TIME00:01S · 46° high

SETS06:09

Reaches about 46° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · Good height

RISES08:17

BEST TIME13:09S · 26° high

SETS17:53

Reaches about 26° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:09

BEST TIME08:29S · 62° high

SETS15:52

Reaches about 62° 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.