OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

52.76°N, 5.08°EEurope/Amsterdam

Deep Astronomical Night-25.3° (< −18°)

21:14:35

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 4m of true darkness · 13h 54m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset18:27

Civil Dusk19:02

Nautical19:42

Full Dark20:22

Nadir01:24

Dark Ends06:26

Nautical07:06

Civil Dawn07:46

Sunrise08:21

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE32.0°

DISTANCE379,696 km

Moonrise17:12

Moonset06:05

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX49% · Moderate Lunar Glow

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

75/100

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/Amsterdam

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Below Horizon	-4.3	-31.5°	283°	Libra	08:49	13:18	17:40	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-22.4°	0°	Leo	01:50	09:15	16:37	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	27.0°	129°	Pisces	18:00	00:10	06:20	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-18.4°	9°	Cancer	00:55	08:39	16:25	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-21.0°	263°	Libra	10:39	14:42	18:45	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Visible Low	5.6	12.5°	72°	Taurus	19:37	03:41	11:50	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	28.7°	137°	Pisces	17:40	23:40	05:41	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

RISES17:12

BEST TIME23:29S · 39° high

SETS06:05

Reaches about 39° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:50

BEST TIME09:15S · 52° high

SETS16:37

Reaches about 52° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · Good height

RISES18:00

BEST TIME00:10S · 39° high

SETS06:20

Reaches about 39° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · Low in the sky

RISES08:49

BEST TIME13:18S · 19° high

SETS17:40

Only reaches about 19° above the horizon. An open view is important.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES00:55

BEST TIME08:39S · 55° high

SETS16:25

Reaches about 55° 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.