Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Deep Astronomical Night-19.4° (< −18°)
19:52:01
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
Sunset17:46
Civil Dusk18:21
Nautical19:00
Full Dark19:39
Nadir00:41
Dark Ends05:44
Nautical06:23
Civil Dawn07:02
Sunrise07:37
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE28.1°
DISTANCE380,004 km
Moonrise16:29
Moonset05:19
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX44% · 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 | -25.5° | 274° | Libra | 08:12 | 12:36 | 17:00 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -22.6° | 350° | Leo | 01:10 | 08:33 | 15:52 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 22.4° | 119° | Pisces | 17:18 | 23:28 | 05:38 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -19.6° | 359° | Cancer | 00:15 | 07:58 | 15:39 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -14.7° | 255° | Libra | 09:53 | 14:00 | 18:06 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Rising / Setting | 5.6 | 6.6° | 64° | Taurus | 18:58 | 02:59 | 11:04 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 24.7° | 127° | Pisces | 16:57 | 22:58 | 04:59 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES16:29
BEST TIME22:45S · 40° high
SETS05:19
Reaches about 40° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:10
BEST TIME08:33S · 53° high
SETS15:52
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
RISES17:18
BEST TIME23:28S · 40° high
SETS05:38
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
RISES08:12
BEST TIME12:36S · 20° high
SETS17:00
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
RISES00:15
BEST TIME07:58S · 56° high
SETS15:39
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.
