Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Nautical Twilight-6.1° (−6° to −12°)
18:58:10
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 26m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:24
Civil Dusk18:54
Nautical19:28
Full Dark20:02
Nadir01:07
Dark Ends06:11
Nautical06:45
Civil Dawn07:19
Sunrise07:49
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE20.3°
DISTANCE380,431 km
Moonrise16:55
Moonset05:37
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX32% · Moderate Lunar Glow
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
61/100
Partial haze or lunar wash. Bright clusters, double stars, and prominent planets remain well visible.
CLOUD COVER15%
HUMIDITY50%
VISIBILITY18 km
DEW POINT10.8°C
| PLANET | STATUS | MAGNITUDE | ALTITUDE | AZIMUTH | CONSTELLATION | RISE | TRANSIT | SET | EQUIPMENT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venus♀ | Below Horizon | -4.3 | -11.8° | 257° | Libra | 08:16 | 13:01 | 17:47 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -24.2° | 328° | Leo | 01:53 | 08:58 | 16:00 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 12.2° | 100° | Pisces | 17:45 | 23:53 | 06:01 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -23.6° | 338° | Cancer | 01:03 | 08:23 | 15:42 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -0.0° | 240° | Libra | 09:52 | 14:25 | 18:58 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -7.6° | 49° | Taurus | 19:51 | 03:24 | 11:01 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 16.0° | 107° | Pisces | 17:23 | 23:23 | 05:24 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:55
BEST TIME23:09S · 47° high
SETS05:37
Reaches about 47° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:53
BEST TIME08:58S · 59° high
SETS16:00
Reaches about 59° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:45
BEST TIME23:53S · 46° high
SETS06:01
Reaches about 46° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:16
BEST TIME13:01S · 27° high
SETS17:47
Reaches about 27° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:03
BEST TIME08:23S · 63° high
SETS15:42
Reaches about 63° 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.
