OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

39.72°N, 8.94°EEurope/Rome

Deep Astronomical Night-20.0° (< −18°)

20:16:45

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

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

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset18:33

Civil Dusk19:01

Nautical19:32

Full Dark20:03

Nadir01:08

Dark Ends06:13

Nautical06:44

Civil Dawn07:16

Sunrise07:43

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE35.2°

DISTANCE379,912 km

Moonrise16:58

Moonset05:39

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX53% · 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	-25.2°	267°	Libra	07:57	13:03	18:02	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-34.6°	348°	Leo	02:05	09:00	15:51	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	27.4°	113°	Pisces	17:48	23:55	06:01	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-31.9°	358°	Cancer	01:18	08:25	15:30	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-10.9°	252°	Libra	09:38	14:27	19:15	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Rising / Setting	5.6	1.0°	63°	Taurus	20:10	03:26	10:46	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Optimal Visibility	7.8	31.1°	121°	Pisces	17:24	23:25	05:26	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

RISES16:58

BEST TIME23:13S · 53° high

SETS05:39

Reaches about 53° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES02:05

BEST TIME09:00S · 65° high

SETS15:51

Reaches about 65° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES17:48

BEST TIME23:55S · 52° high

SETS06:01

Reaches about 52° 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 TIME13:03S · 32° high

SETS18:02

Reaches about 32° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:18

BEST TIME08:25S · 68° high

SETS15:30

Reaches about 68° 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.