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-81.6° (< −18°)
00:03:16
Sat, Oct 24, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 46m of true darkness · 12h 7m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:28
Civil Dusk17:49
Nautical18:14
Full Dark18:38
Nadir23:31
Dark Ends04:24
Nautical04:49
Civil Dawn05:14
Sunrise05:35
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE49.9°
DISTANCE380,412 km
Moonrise15:12
Moonset03:34
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX71% · 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 | -76.6° | 137° | Libra | 05:32 | 11:22 | 17:17 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -16.1° | 72° | Leo | 01:10 | 07:21 | 13:34 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Optimal Visibility | 0.3 | 63.2° | 256° | Pisces | 16:17 | 22:19 | 04:21 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -7.3° | 70° | Cancer | 00:34 | 06:47 | 13:02 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -73.1° | 221° | Libra | 06:59 | 12:51 | 18:39 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Optimal Visibility | 5.6 | 61.1° | 61° | Taurus | 19:36 | 01:50 | 08:05 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Optimal Visibility | 7.8 | 55.6° | 257° | Pisces | 15:49 | 21:50 | 03:51 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES15:12
BEST TIME21:22S · 82° high
SETS03:34
Reaches about 82° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Heavy Lunar Wash.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:10
BEST TIME07:21N · 84° high
SETS13:34
Reaches about 84° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:17
BEST TIME22:19S · 83° high
SETS04:21
Reaches about 83° 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 TIME11:22S · 64° high
SETS17:17
Reaches about 64° 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 TIME06:47N · 81° high
SETS13:02
Reaches about 81° 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.
