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-37.1° (< −18°)
22:07:59
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 28m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:32
Civil Dusk19:03
Nautical19:37
Full Dark20:12
Nadir01:16
Dark Ends06:20
Nautical06:55
Civil Dawn07:30
Sunrise08:00
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE43.1°
DISTANCE379,720 km
Moonrise17:05
Moonset05:48
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX64% · Heavy Lunar Wash
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
69/100
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 | -43.1° | 292° | Libra | 08:20 | 13:11 | 17:55 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -27.7° | 17° | Leo | 02:00 | 09:04 | 16:12 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Optimal Visibility | 0.3 | 38.8° | 142° | Pisces | 17:55 | 00:03 | 06:11 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -22.1° | 25° | Cancer | 01:10 | 08:31 | 15:54 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -30.6° | 271° | Libra | 10:01 | 14:34 | 19:05 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Visible Low | 5.6 | 20.5° | 81° | Taurus | 19:58 | 03:34 | 11:14 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Optimal Visibility | 7.8 | 40.0° | 151° | Pisces | 17:32 | 23:33 | 05:34 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:05
BEST TIME23:19S · 46° high
SETS05:48
Reaches about 46° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Heavy Lunar Wash.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:00
BEST TIME09:04S · 59° high
SETS16:12
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
RISES17:55
BEST TIME00:03S · 46° high
SETS06:11
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
RISES08:20
BEST TIME13:11S · 26° high
SETS17:55
Reaches about 26° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:10
BEST TIME08:31S · 62° high
SETS15:54
Reaches about 62° 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.
