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-76.3° (< −18°)
00:24:42
Sat, Oct 24, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 48m of true darkness · 12h 10m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:24
Civil Dusk17:45
Nautical18:10
Full Dark18:35
Nadir23:29
Dark Ends04:23
Nautical04:48
Civil Dawn05:13
Sunrise05:34
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE44.0°
DISTANCE380,331 km
Moonrise15:09
Moonset03:32
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX64% · Heavy Lunar Wash
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
69/100
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 | -73.0° | 119° | Libra | 05:32 | 11:19 | 17:13 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -9.9° | 73° | Leo | 01:06 | 07:18 | 13:34 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Optimal Visibility | 0.3 | 57.1° | 256° | Pisces | 16:15 | 22:17 | 04:19 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -1.1° | 71° | Cancer | 00:29 | 06:45 | 13:02 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -77.9° | 206° | Libra | 06:59 | 12:48 | 18:34 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Optimal Visibility | 5.6 | 67.1° | 60° | Taurus | 19:31 | 01:48 | 08:05 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Optimal Visibility | 7.8 | 49.4° | 257° | Pisces | 15:46 | 21:47 | 03:48 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES15:09
BEST TIME21:19S · 80° high
SETS03:32
Reaches about 80° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Heavy Lunar Wash.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:06
BEST TIME07:18N · 86° high
SETS13:34
Reaches about 86° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:15
BEST TIME22:17S · 81° high
SETS04:19
Reaches about 81° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES05:32
BEST TIME11:19S · 62° high
SETS17:13
Reaches about 62° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:29
BEST TIME06:45N · 82° high
SETS13:02
Reaches about 82° 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.
