OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

57.54°N, 26.69°EEurope/Riga

Deep Astronomical Night-33.0° (< −18°)

22:02:47

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 58m of true darkness · 14h 18m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset17:49

Civil Dusk18:29

Nautical19:14

Full Dark19:59

Nadir00:58

Dark Ends05:56

Nautical06:41

Civil Dawn07:26

Sunrise08:07

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE32.8°

DISTANCE379,740 km

Moonrise16:44

Moonset05:38

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX50% · Moderate Lunar Glow

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

74/100

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/Riga

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Below Horizon	-4.3	-39.5°	304°	Libra	08:43	12:52	16:53	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-15.9°	19°	Leo	01:07	08:46	16:28	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Optimal Visibility	0.3	30.4°	150°	Pisces	17:32	23:44	05:56	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-10.7°	26°	Cancer	00:06	08:12	16:21	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-31.5°	281°	Libra	10:39	14:16	17:53	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Visible Low	5.6	23.8°	88°	Taurus	18:43	03:15	11:52	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Optimal Visibility	7.8	30.3°	159°	Pisces	17:14	23:14	05:15	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 · Good height

RISES16:44

BEST TIME23:00S · 34° high

SETS05:38

Reaches about 34° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:07

BEST TIME08:46S · 47° high

SETS16:28

Reaches about 47° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · Good height

RISES17:32

BEST TIME23:44S · 34° high

SETS05:56

Reaches about 34° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · Low in the sky

RISES08:43

BEST TIME12:52S · 14° high

SETS16:53

Only reaches about 14° above the horizon. An open view is important.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES00:06

BEST TIME08:12S · 50° high

SETS16:21

Reaches about 50° 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.