OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

4.51°S, 73.58°WAmerica/Lima

Daylight+60.2°

13:35:43

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 24m of true darkness · 11h 46m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset17:45

Civil Dusk18:06

Nautical18:31

Full Dark18:56

Nadir23:38

Dark Ends04:20

Nautical04:45

Civil Dawn05:10

Sunrise05:31

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE-31.2°

DISTANCE379,841 km

Moonrise15:43

Moonset03:19

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	56.8°	244°	Libra	05:25	11:31	17:38	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-2.2°	284°	Leo	01:29	07:29	13:26	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Below Horizon	0.3	-42.2°	92°	Pisces	16:23	22:24	04:29	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-10.6°	287°	Cancer	00:57	06:55	12:51	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Optimal Visibility	0.4	71.0°	209°	Libra	06:47	12:56	19:04	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Below Horizon	5.6	-72.6°	342°	Taurus	20:01	01:59	07:54	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Below Horizon	7.8	-34.5°	94°	Pisces	15:53	21:54	04:00	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

RISES15:43

BEST TIME21:53N · 81° high

SETS03:19

Reaches about 81° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:29

BEST TIME07:29N · 71° high

SETS13:26

Reaches about 71° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES16:23

BEST TIME22:24N · 84° high

SETS04:29

Reaches about 84° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES05:25

BEST TIME11:31S · 77° high

SETS17:38

Reaches about 77° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES00:57

BEST TIME06:55N · 68° high

SETS12:51

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.