OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

46.75°N, 28.04°EEurope/Bucharest

Deep Astronomical Night-31.3° (< −18°)

21:09:58

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 8m of true darkness · 13h 31m total night

DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset18:07

Civil Dusk18:37

Nautical19:13

Full Dark19:48

Nadir00:52

Dark Ends05:56

Nautical06:31

Civil Dawn07:07

Sunrise07:38

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE39.4°

DISTANCE379,937 km

Moonrise16:40

Moonset05:23

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX59% · Moderate Lunar Glow

Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

71/100

Good Stargazing

Fine observing conditions. Open star clusters and nebulae will exhibit crisp structure.

CLOUD COVER15%

HUMIDITY50%

VISIBILITY18 km

DEW POINT10.8°C

PLANETARY EPHEMERIS & ALMANAC

Visible Planets Tonight

All times calibrated to Europe/Bucharest

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Below Horizon	-4.3	-37.2°	284°	Libra	07:58	12:47	17:28	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-28.1°	8°	Leo	01:34	08:40	15:50	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Optimal Visibility	0.3	34.2°	133°	Pisces	17:30	23:39	05:47	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-23.4°	16°	Cancer	00:44	08:07	15:32	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-24.8°	266°	Libra	09:43	14:10	18:38	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Visible Low	5.6	15.0°	75°	Taurus	19:31	03:10	10:53	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Optimal Visibility	7.8	36.1°	142°	Pisces	17:08	23:09	05:10	Telescope

TONIGHT'S VIEWING SCHEDULE

When & Where to Look Tonight

A simple guide to when each object is above your horizon. No astronomy chart reading required.

BEST TIMEHighest in your sky

The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES16:40

BEST TIME22:54S · 45° high

SETS05:23

Reaches about 45° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:34

BEST TIME08:40S · 58° high

SETS15:50

Reaches about 58° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · Good height

RISES17:30

BEST TIME23:39S · 45° high

SETS05:47

Reaches about 45° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · Good height

RISES07:58

BEST TIME12:47S · 25° high

SETS17:28

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

RISES00:44

BEST TIME08:07S · 61° high

SETS15:32

Reaches about 61° above the horizon at its highest point.Distinctive crimson hue; polar ice cap discernible near opposition.

OBSERVING LOG & TARGET LIST

Tonight's Prime Deep-Sky Targets

0 / 6 targets logged tonight

M31 / NGC 224 · Andromeda

Andromeda Galaxy

Spiral Galaxy (2.5M ly)

Our galactic neighbor; visible as a ghostly oval smudge with dense radiant stellar core.

M45 · Taurus

The Pleiades (Seven Sisters)

Open Star Cluster

Breathtaking blue diamond cluster enshrouded in delicate interstellar reflection nebulosity.

M42 / NGC 1976 · Orion

Great Orion Nebula

Diffuse Emission Nebula

Star nursery harboring the brilliant Trapezium cluster with sprawling bat-wing filaments.

NGC 869 & NGC 884 · Perseus

The Double Cluster

Twin Open Clusters

Pair of spectacular shimmering jewel-boxes bursting with ruby supergiant stars.

M13 / NGC 6205 · Hercules

Great Globular Cluster in Hercules

Globular Cluster (300k stars)

Massive beehive of ancient stars packed tightly together into a blazing central ball.

M57 / NGC 6720 · Lyra

The Ring Nebula

Planetary Nebula

Delicate glowing smoke-ring left behind by a dying star 2,500 light-years away.