OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

16.22°S, 69.45°WAmerica/Lima

Daylight+77.4°

12:10:17

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM8h 57m of true darkness · 11h 25m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset17:39

Civil Dusk18:01

Nautical18:27

Full Dark18:53

Nadir23:21

Dark Ends03:50

Nautical04:16

Civil Dawn04:42

Sunrise05:04

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-45.9°

DISTANCE380,160 km

Moonrise15:29

Moonset03:03

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	76.7°	260°	Libra	04:52	11:15	17:37	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Visible Low	-2.0	10.4°	288°	Leo	01:28	07:13	12:57	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Below Horizon	0.3	-56.6°	113°	Pisces	16:08	22:07	04:11	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Rising / Setting	1.0	1.8°	289°	Cancer	00:58	06:38	12:19	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Optimal Visibility	0.4	81.5°	125°	Libra	06:12	12:39	19:06	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Below Horizon	5.6	-67.7°	286°	Taurus	20:03	01:43	07:19	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Below Horizon	7.8	-49.1°	110°	Pisces	15:36	21:38	03:44	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

RISES15:29

BEST TIME21:36N · 69° high

SETS03:03

Reaches about 69° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:28

BEST TIME07:13N · 59° high

SETS12:57

Reaches about 59° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES16:08

BEST TIME22:07N · 72° high

SETS04:11

Reaches about 72° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES04:52

BEST TIME11:15S · 88° high

SETS17:37

Reaches about 88° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES00:58

BEST TIME06:38N · 56° high

SETS12:19

Reaches about 56° 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.