Bright moonlight washes out deep sky targets. Focus on lunar craters and bright planets.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Deep Astronomical Night-39.0° (< −18°)
22:03:51
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 8m of true darkness · 13h 32m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:10
Civil Dusk18:42
Nautical19:17
Full Dark19:52
Nadir00:57
Dark Ends06:00
Nautical06:36
Civil Dawn07:11
Sunrise07:43
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE43.0°
DISTANCE379,736 km
Moonrise16:44
Moonset05:28
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX63% · Heavy Lunar Wash
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
70/100
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 | -45.1° | 296° | Libra | 08:03 | 12:51 | 17:32 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -25.7° | 21° | Leo | 01:38 | 08:45 | 15:55 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Optimal Visibility | 0.3 | 39.5° | 147° | Pisces | 17:35 | 23:43 | 05:51 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -19.9° | 28° | Cancer | 00:47 | 08:11 | 15:38 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -33.3° | 275° | Libra | 09:45 | 14:15 | 18:41 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Visible Low | 5.6 | 23.3° | 84° | Taurus | 19:34 | 03:14 | 10:58 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Optimal Visibility | 7.8 | 40.1° | 157° | Pisces | 17:13 | 23:13 | 05:14 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES16:44
BEST TIME22:59S · 45° high
SETS05:28
Reaches about 45° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Heavy Lunar Wash.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:38
BEST TIME08:45S · 57° high
SETS15:55
Reaches about 57° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:35
BEST TIME23:43S · 44° high
SETS05:51
Reaches about 44° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:03
BEST TIME12:51S · 25° high
SETS17:32
Reaches about 25° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:47
BEST TIME08:11S · 61° high
SETS15:38
Reaches about 61° 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.
