Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Astronomical Twilight-14.2° (−12° to −18°)
19:14:43
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 5m of true darkness · 13h 51m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:43
Civil Dusk18:17
Nautical18:56
Full Dark19:35
Nadir00:38
Dark Ends05:40
Nautical06:19
Civil Dawn06:59
Sunrise07:33
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE23.9°
DISTANCE380,144 km
Moonrise16:26
Moonset05:15
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX38% · Moderate Lunar Glow
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
68/100
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 | -20.2° | 267° | Libra | 08:08 | 12:32 | 16:57 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -21.3° | 341° | Leo | 01:07 | 08:29 | 15:49 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 17.6° | 111° | Pisces | 17:15 | 23:24 | 05:34 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -19.1° | 350° | Cancer | 00:12 | 07:55 | 15:36 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -9.7° | 249° | Libra | 09:49 | 13:56 | 18:03 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Rising / Setting | 5.6 | 2.1° | 57° | Taurus | 18:55 | 02:56 | 11:00 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 20.3° | 119° | Pisces | 16:54 | 22:55 | 04:55 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES16:26
BEST TIME22:41S · 40° high
SETS05:15
Reaches about 40° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:07
BEST TIME08:29S · 53° high
SETS15:49
Reaches about 53° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:15
BEST TIME23:24S · 40° high
SETS05:34
Reaches about 40° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Low in the sky
RISES08:08
BEST TIME12:32S · 20° high
SETS16:57
Only reaches about 20° above the horizon. An open view is important.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:12
BEST TIME07:55S · 56° high
SETS15:36
Reaches about 56° 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.
