Bright moonlight washes out deep sky targets. Focus on lunar craters and bright planets.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Deep Astronomical Night-33.5° (< −18°)
20:33:15
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 8m of true darkness · 12h 52m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:55
Civil Dusk18:20
Nautical18:48
Full Dark19:17
Nadir00:21
Dark Ends05:25
Nautical05:53
Civil Dawn06:22
Sunrise06:47
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE49.8°
DISTANCE380,074 km
Moonrise16:10
Moonset04:44
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX71% · Heavy Lunar Wash
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
67/100
Fine observing conditions. Open star clusters and nebulae will exhibit crisp structure.
CLOUD COVER15%
HUMIDITY50%
VISIBILITY18 km
DEW POINT10.8°C
| PLANET | STATUS | MAGNITUDE | ALTITUDE | AZIMUTH | CONSTELLATION | RISE | TRANSIT | SET | EQUIPMENT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venus♀ | Below Horizon | -4.3 | -38.2° | 272° | Libra | 06:56 | 12:16 | 17:29 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -42.3° | 7° | Leo | 01:30 | 08:09 | 14:52 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Optimal Visibility | 0.3 | 42.0° | 122° | Pisces | 17:02 | 23:08 | 05:13 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -37.3° | 17° | Cancer | 00:46 | 07:36 | 14:28 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -21.7° | 259° | Libra | 08:34 | 13:39 | 18:45 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Rising / Setting | 5.6 | 9.8° | 71° | Taurus | 19:40 | 02:39 | 09:42 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Optimal Visibility | 7.8 | 45.7° | 132° | Pisces | 16:37 | 22:38 | 04:39 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:10
BEST TIME22:22S · 59° high
SETS04:44
Reaches about 59° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Heavy Lunar Wash.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:30
BEST TIME08:09S · 72° high
SETS14:52
Reaches about 72° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:02
BEST TIME23:08S · 59° high
SETS05:13
Reaches about 59° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES06:56
BEST TIME12:16S · 39° high
SETS17:29
Reaches about 39° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:46
BEST TIME07:36S · 75° high
SETS14:28
Reaches about 75° above the horizon at its highest point.Distinctive crimson hue; polar ice cap discernible near opposition.
M31 / NGC 224 · Andromeda
Spiral Galaxy (2.5M ly)Andromeda Galaxy
Our galactic neighbor; visible as a ghostly oval smudge with dense radiant stellar core.
M45 · Taurus
Open Star ClusterThe Pleiades (Seven Sisters)
Breathtaking blue diamond cluster enshrouded in delicate interstellar reflection nebulosity.
M42 / NGC 1976 · Orion
Diffuse Emission NebulaGreat Orion Nebula
Star nursery harboring the brilliant Trapezium cluster with sprawling bat-wing filaments.
NGC 869 & NGC 884 · Perseus
Twin Open ClustersThe Double Cluster
Pair of spectacular shimmering jewel-boxes bursting with ruby supergiant stars.
M13 / NGC 6205 · Hercules
Globular Cluster (300k stars)Great Globular Cluster in Hercules
Massive beehive of ancient stars packed tightly together into a blazing central ball.
M57 / NGC 6720 · Lyra
Planetary NebulaThe Ring Nebula
Delicate glowing smoke-ring left behind by a dying star 2,500 light-years away.
