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-73.7° (< −18°)
00:38:59
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
Sunset17:27
Civil Dusk17:49
Nautical18:14
Full Dark18:38
Nadir23:33
Dark Ends04:27
Nautical04:52
Civil Dawn05:16
Sunrise05:38
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE41.4°
DISTANCE380,278 km
Moonrise15:13
Moonset03:36
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX61% · 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 | -70.7° | 115° | Libra | 05:36 | 11:23 | 17:16 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -7.4° | 74° | Leo | 01:10 | 07:22 | 13:38 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Optimal Visibility | 0.3 | 54.5° | 258° | Pisces | 16:18 | 22:21 | 04:23 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Rising / Setting | 1.0 | 1.2° | 72° | Cancer | 00:33 | 06:48 | 13:06 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -79.0° | 195° | Libra | 07:03 | 12:52 | 18:38 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Optimal Visibility | 5.6 | 69.5° | 57° | Taurus | 19:34 | 01:52 | 08:09 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Optimal Visibility | 7.8 | 46.8° | 258° | Pisces | 15:50 | 21:51 | 03:52 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES15:13
BEST TIME21:23S · 80° high
SETS03:36
Reaches about 80° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Heavy Lunar Wash.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:10
BEST TIME07:22N · 86° high
SETS13:38
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
RISES16:18
BEST TIME22:21S · 81° high
SETS04:23
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
RISES05:36
BEST TIME11:23S · 62° high
SETS17:16
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
RISES00:33
BEST TIME06:48N · 83° high
SETS13:06
Reaches about 83° 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.
