OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

44.00°N, 11.43°EEurope/Rome

Deep Astronomical Night-28.5° (< −18°)

20:55:35

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 22m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset18:17

Civil Dusk18:47

Nautical19:20

Full Dark19:54

Nadir00:58

Dark Ends06:03

Nautical06:36

Civil Dawn07:10

Sunrise07:40

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE39.3°

DISTANCE379,767 km

Moonrise16:48

Moonset05:31

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX59% · Moderate Lunar Glow

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

71/100

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	-34.2°	278°	Libra	07:57	12:53	17:42	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-31.2°	2°	Leo	01:47	08:47	15:50	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Optimal Visibility	0.3	33.2°	126°	Pisces	17:37	23:45	05:52	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-27.0°	11°	Cancer	00:58	08:13	15:31	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-20.8°	261°	Libra	09:40	14:17	18:53	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Visible Low	5.6	10.7°	71°	Taurus	19:47	03:16	10:49	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Optimal Visibility	7.8	35.7°	135°	Pisces	17:15	23:15	05:16	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

RISES16:48

BEST TIME23:03S · 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

RISES01:47

BEST TIME08:47S · 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

RISES17:37

BEST TIME23:45S · 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 TIME12:53S · 28° high

SETS17:42

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

RISES00:58

BEST TIME08:13S · 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.