OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

3.91°S, 70.52°WAmerica/Lima

Daylight+78.9°

10:54:08

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 26m of true darkness · 11h 47m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset17:32

Civil Dusk17:54

Nautical18:18

Full Dark18:43

Nadir23:26

Dark Ends04:09

Nautical04:33

Civil Dawn04:58

Sunrise05:19

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION92%

ALTITUDE-66.9°

DISTANCE380,446 km

Moonrise15:31

Moonset03:07

HorizonBelow

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX0% · Minimal Lunar Glare

Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

42/100

Fair Stargazing

Partial haze or lunar wash. Bright clusters, double stars, and prominent planets remain well visible.

CLOUD COVER15%

HUMIDITY50%

VISIBILITY18 km

DEW POINT10.8°C

PLANETARY EPHEMERIS & ALMANAC

Visible Planets Tonight

All times calibrated to America/Lima

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Optimal Visibility	-4.3	74.6°	157°	Libra	05:13	11:19	17:25	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Optimal Visibility	-2.0	33.2°	290°	Leo	01:19	07:17	13:14	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Below Horizon	0.3	-79.6°	104°	Pisces	16:11	22:12	04:17	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Visible Low	1.0	24.4°	292°	Cancer	00:46	06:42	12:39	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Optimal Visibility	0.4	58.3°	125°	Libra	06:36	12:44	18:51	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Below Horizon	5.6	-44.6°	296°	Taurus	19:47	01:47	07:42	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Below Horizon	7.8	-71.9°	103°	Pisces	15:41	21:42	03:47	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

RISES15:31

BEST TIME21:41N · 82° high

SETS03:07

Reaches about 82° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:19

BEST TIME07:17N · 72° high

SETS13:14

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

RISES16:11

BEST TIME22:12N · 85° high

SETS04:17

Reaches about 85° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES05:13

BEST TIME11:19S · 76° high

SETS17:25

Reaches about 76° 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 TIME06:42N · 68° high

SETS12:39

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.