Bright moonlight washes out deep sky targets. Focus on lunar craters and bright planets.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Deep Astronomical Night-81.9° (< −18°)
00:09:19
Sat, Oct 24, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 55m of true darkness · 12h 21m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:32
Civil Dusk17:54
Nautical18:20
Full Dark18:45
Nadir23:43
Dark Ends04:40
Nautical05:06
Civil Dawn05:31
Sunrise05:53
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE49.4°
DISTANCE380,389 km
Moonrise15:24
Moonset03:47
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX70% · Heavy Lunar Wash
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
67/100
Fine observing conditions. Open star clusters and nebulae will exhibit crisp structure.
CLOUD COVER15%
HUMIDITY50%
VISIBILITY18 km
DEW POINT10.8°C
| PLANET | STATUS | MAGNITUDE | ALTITUDE | AZIMUTH | CONSTELLATION | RISE | TRANSIT | SET | EQUIPMENT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venus♀ | Below Horizon | -4.3 | -81.9° | 102° | Libra | 05:54 | 11:33 | 17:18 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -14.7° | 70° | Leo | 01:13 | 07:32 | 13:54 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Optimal Visibility | 0.3 | 61.5° | 241° | Pisces | 16:28 | 22:31 | 04:34 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -5.7° | 69° | Cancer | 00:34 | 06:58 | 13:24 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -76.9° | 248° | Libra | 07:23 | 13:02 | 18:38 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Optimal Visibility | 5.6 | 62.8° | 76° | Taurus | 19:34 | 02:02 | 08:29 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Optimal Visibility | 7.8 | 54.2° | 245° | Pisces | 16:00 | 22:01 | 04:02 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES15:24
BEST TIME21:33S · 74° high
SETS03:47
Reaches about 74° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Heavy Lunar Wash.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:13
BEST TIME07:32S · 88° high
SETS13:54
Reaches about 88° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:28
BEST TIME22:31S · 75° high
SETS04:34
Reaches about 75° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES05:54
BEST TIME11:33S · 56° high
SETS17:18
Reaches about 56° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:34
BEST TIME06:58N · 89° high
SETS13:24
Reaches about 89° above the horizon at its highest point.Distinctive crimson hue; polar ice cap discernible near opposition.
M31 / NGC 224 · Andromeda
Spiral Galaxy (2.5M ly)Andromeda Galaxy
Our galactic neighbor; visible as a ghostly oval smudge with dense radiant stellar core.
M45 · Taurus
Open Star ClusterThe Pleiades (Seven Sisters)
Breathtaking blue diamond cluster enshrouded in delicate interstellar reflection nebulosity.
M42 / NGC 1976 · Orion
Diffuse Emission NebulaGreat Orion Nebula
Star nursery harboring the brilliant Trapezium cluster with sprawling bat-wing filaments.
NGC 869 & NGC 884 · Perseus
Twin Open ClustersThe Double Cluster
Pair of spectacular shimmering jewel-boxes bursting with ruby supergiant stars.
M13 / NGC 6205 · Hercules
Globular Cluster (300k stars)Great Globular Cluster in Hercules
Massive beehive of ancient stars packed tightly together into a blazing central ball.
M57 / NGC 6720 · Lyra
Planetary NebulaThe Ring Nebula
Delicate glowing smoke-ring left behind by a dying star 2,500 light-years away.
