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-74.9° (< −18°)
00:38:54
Sat, Oct 24, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 53m of true darkness · 12h 17m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:30
Civil Dusk17:51
Nautical18:16
Full Dark18:42
Nadir23:38
Dark Ends04:35
Nautical05:00
Civil Dawn05:25
Sunrise05:47
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE42.1°
DISTANCE380,278 km
Moonrise15:19
Moonset03:42
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX62% · Heavy Lunar Wash
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
70/100
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 | -73.4° | 105° | Libra | 05:47 | 11:29 | 17:16 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -7.5° | 73° | Leo | 01:11 | 07:28 | 13:48 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Optimal Visibility | 0.3 | 54.7° | 251° | Pisces | 16:23 | 22:26 | 04:29 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Rising / Setting | 1.0 | 1.1° | 72° | Cancer | 00:33 | 06:54 | 13:17 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -82.3° | 212° | Libra | 07:15 | 12:58 | 18:37 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Optimal Visibility | 5.6 | 70.1° | 68° | Taurus | 19:33 | 01:57 | 08:21 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Optimal Visibility | 7.8 | 47.2° | 253° | Pisces | 15:55 | 21:56 | 03:57 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES15:19
BEST TIME21:29S · 76° high
SETS03:42
Reaches about 76° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Heavy Lunar Wash.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:11
BEST TIME07:28S · 90° high
SETS13:48
Reaches about 90° 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 TIME22:26S · 77° high
SETS04:29
Reaches about 77° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES05:47
BEST TIME11:29S · 58° high
SETS17:16
Reaches about 58° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:33
BEST TIME06:54N · 87° high
SETS13:17
Reaches about 87° 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.
