OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

43.80°N, 28.53°EEurope/Bucharest

Astronomical Twilight-12.3° (−12° to −18°)

19:17:27

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 22m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset18:09

Civil Dusk18:39

Nautical19:12

Full Dark19:45

Nadir00:50

Dark Ends05:54

Nautical06:28

Civil Dawn07:01

Sunrise07:31

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION92%

ALTITUDE26.6°

DISTANCE380,358 km

Moonrise16:38

Moonset05:19

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX41% · Moderate Lunar Glow

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

67/100

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	-17.9°	262°	Libra	07:56	12:45	17:34	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-28.3°	337°	Leo	01:39	08:42	15:41	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	18.8°	107°	Pisces	17:29	23:37	05:44	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-26.8°	347°	Cancer	00:50	08:07	15:22	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-5.1°	246°	Libra	09:32	14:08	18:45	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Below Horizon	5.6	-3.3°	56°	Taurus	19:39	03:08	10:41	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	22.5°	114°	Pisces	17:06	23:07	05:08	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

RISES16:38

BEST TIME22:52S · 48° high

SETS05:19

Reaches about 48° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:39

BEST TIME08:42S · 61° high

SETS15:41

Reaches about 61° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES17:29

BEST TIME23:37S · 48° high

SETS05:44

Reaches about 48° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · Good height

RISES07:56

BEST TIME12:45S · 28° high

SETS17:34

Reaches about 28° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES00:50

BEST TIME08:07S · 64° high

SETS15:22

Reaches about 64° 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.