Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Deep Astronomical Night-22.6° (< −18°)
19:45:22
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 4m of true darkness · 13h 55m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:15
Civil Dusk17:51
Nautical18:31
Full Dark19:11
Nadir00:13
Dark Ends05:15
Nautical05:55
Civil Dawn06:35
Sunrise07:10
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE29.9°
DISTANCE380,029 km
Moonrise16:00
Moonset04:49
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX46% · Moderate Lunar Glow
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
76/100
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 | -28.8° | 279° | Libra | 07:47 | 12:07 | 16:28 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -22.0° | 355° | Leo | 00:38 | 08:04 | 15:27 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 24.7° | 124° | Pisces | 16:49 | 22:59 | 05:09 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -18.5° | 4° | Cancer | 23:42 | 07:27 | 15:15 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -18.3° | 260° | Libra | 09:29 | 13:31 | 17:33 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Visible Low | 5.6 | 10.0° | 68° | Taurus | 18:25 | 02:30 | 10:40 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 26.6° | 133° | Pisces | 16:29 | 22:29 | 04:30 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES16:00
BEST TIME22:15S · 39° high
SETS04:49
Reaches about 39° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:38
BEST TIME08:04S · 51° high
SETS15:27
Reaches about 51° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · Good height
RISES16:49
BEST TIME22:59S · 38° high
SETS05:09
Reaches about 38° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Low in the sky
RISES07:47
BEST TIME12:07S · 19° high
SETS16:28
Only reaches about 19° above the horizon. An open view is important.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES23:42
BEST TIME07:27S · 55° high
SETS15:15
Reaches about 55° 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.
