Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Nautical Twilight-7.1° (−6° to −12°)
18:17:29
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 2m of true darkness · 14h 3m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:28
Civil Dusk18:05
Nautical18:47
Full Dark19:28
Nadir00:29
Dark Ends05:30
Nautical06:12
Civil Dawn06:53
Sunrise07:31
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE16.3°
DISTANCE380,358 km
Moonrise16:16
Moonset05:08
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX26% · Moderate Lunar Glow
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
63/100
Partial haze or lunar wash. Bright clusters, double stars, and prominent planets remain well visible.
CLOUD COVER15%
HUMIDITY50%
VISIBILITY18 km
DEW POINT10.8°C
| PLANET | STATUS | MAGNITUDE | ALTITUDE | AZIMUTH | CONSTELLATION | RISE | TRANSIT | SET | EQUIPMENT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venus♀ | Below Horizon | -4.3 | -13.4° | 258° | Libra | 08:10 | 12:23 | 16:38 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -15.8° | 329° | Leo | 00:49 | 08:20 | 15:49 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Rising / Setting | 0.3 | 10.0° | 102° | Pisces | 17:05 | 23:15 | 05:26 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -14.6° | 338° | Cancer | 23:52 | 07:46 | 15:38 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -4.3° | 240° | Libra | 09:53 | 13:47 | 17:41 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -1.6° | 48° | Taurus | 18:32 | 02:47 | 11:05 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 12.6° | 109° | Pisces | 16:45 | 22:46 | 04:46 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES16:16
BEST TIME22:32S · 37° high
SETS05:08
Reaches about 37° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:49
BEST TIME08:20S · 50° high
SETS15:49
Reaches about 50° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:05
BEST TIME23:15S · 37° high
SETS05:26
Reaches about 37° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Low in the sky
RISES08:10
BEST TIME12:23S · 17° high
SETS16:38
Only reaches about 17° above the horizon. An open view is important.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES23:52
BEST TIME07:46S · 53° high
SETS15:38
Reaches about 53° 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.
