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-85.0° (< −18°)
23:54:06
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 54m of true darkness · 12h 19m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:31
Civil Dusk17:53
Nautical18:18
Full Dark18:44
Nadir23:41
Dark Ends04:38
Nautical05:03
Civil Dawn05:28
Sunrise05:50
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE52.7°
DISTANCE380,446 km
Moonrise15:22
Moonset03:45
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX73% · Heavy Lunar Wash
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
66/100
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 | -84.6° | 120° | Libra | 05:51 | 11:31 | 17:17 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -18.1° | 69° | Leo | 01:12 | 07:30 | 13:51 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Optimal Visibility | 0.3 | 64.8° | 238° | Pisces | 16:26 | 22:29 | 04:32 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -9.1° | 68° | Cancer | 00:34 | 06:56 | 13:21 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -73.5° | 248° | Libra | 07:19 | 13:00 | 18:38 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Optimal Visibility | 5.6 | 59.5° | 75° | Taurus | 19:34 | 02:00 | 08:26 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Optimal Visibility | 7.8 | 57.5° | 243° | Pisces | 15:58 | 21:59 | 04:00 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES15:22
BEST TIME21:32S · 75° high
SETS03:45
Reaches about 75° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Heavy Lunar Wash.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:12
BEST TIME07:30S · 89° high
SETS13:51
Reaches about 89° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:26
BEST TIME22:29S · 76° high
SETS04:32
Reaches about 76° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES05:51
BEST TIME11:31S · 57° high
SETS17:17
Reaches about 57° 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 TIME06:56N · 88° high
SETS13:21
Reaches about 88° 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.
