Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Deep Astronomical Night-24.0° (< −18°)
19:55:50
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 3m of true darkness · 13h 57m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:15
Civil Dusk17:50
Nautical18:31
Full Dark19:11
Nadir00:13
Dark Ends05:15
Nautical05:55
Civil Dawn06:36
Sunrise07:12
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE30.6°
DISTANCE379,990 km
Moonrise16:00
Moonset04:50
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX47% · Moderate Lunar Glow
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
75/100
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 | -30.2° | 281° | Libra | 07:41 | 12:07 | 16:27 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -21.7° | 358° | Leo | 00:37 | 08:05 | 15:29 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 25.7° | 127° | Pisces | 16:49 | 23:00 | 05:10 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -18.0° | 7° | Cancer | 23:41 | 07:28 | 15:17 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -19.8° | 262° | Libra | 09:31 | 13:31 | 17:31 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Visible Low | 5.6 | 11.6° | 70° | Taurus | 18:23 | 02:31 | 10:43 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 27.4° | 135° | Pisces | 16:29 | 22:30 | 04:30 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES16:00
BEST TIME22:16S · 38° high
SETS04:50
Reaches about 38° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:37
BEST TIME08:05S · 51° high
SETS15:29
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 TIME23:00S · 38° high
SETS05:10
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
RISES07:41
BEST TIME12:07S · 19° high
SETS16:27
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
RISES23:41
BEST TIME07:28S · 54° high
SETS15:17
Reaches about 54° 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.
