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-36.4° (< −18°)
22:04:47
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 8m of true darkness · 13h 30m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:31
Civil Dusk19:02
Nautical19:37
Full Dark20:12
Nadir01:16
Dark Ends06:20
Nautical06:55
Civil Dawn07:30
Sunrise08:01
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE42.4°
DISTANCE379,732 km
Moonrise17:04
Moonset05:48
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 | -42.4° | 291° | Libra | 08:21 | 13:10 | 17:52 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -27.2° | 16° | Leo | 01:59 | 09:04 | 16:13 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Optimal Visibility | 0.3 | 38.1° | 141° | Pisces | 17:54 | 00:02 | 06:10 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -21.8° | 24° | Cancer | 01:08 | 08:31 | 15:55 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -30.1° | 271° | Libra | 10:06 | 14:34 | 19:02 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Visible Low | 5.6 | 20.1° | 80° | Taurus | 19:56 | 03:34 | 11:16 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Optimal Visibility | 7.8 | 39.3° | 151° | Pisces | 17:32 | 23:33 | 05:33 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:04
BEST TIME23:19S · 45° high
SETS05:48
Reaches about 45° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Heavy Lunar Wash.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:59
BEST TIME09:04S · 58° high
SETS16:13
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
RISES17:54
BEST TIME00:02S · 45° high
SETS06:10
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
RISES08:21
BEST TIME13:10S · 25° high
SETS17:52
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
RISES01:08
BEST TIME08:31S · 61° high
SETS15:55
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.
