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°)
22:03:05
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 25m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:32
Civil Dusk19:01
Nautical19:36
Full Dark20:09
Nadir01:14
Dark Ends06:18
Nautical06:52
Civil Dawn07:27
Sunrise07:56
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE43.8°
DISTANCE379,739 km
Moonrise17:02
Moonset05:45
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 | -43.0° | 290° | Libra | 08:15 | 13:08 | 17:55 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -28.8° | 16° | Leo | 02:01 | 09:02 | 16:07 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Optimal Visibility | 0.3 | 39.3° | 140° | Pisces | 17:53 | 00:01 | 06:08 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -23.3° | 24° | Cancer | 01:11 | 08:29 | 15:49 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -30.2° | 270° | Libra | 09:55 | 14:32 | 19:06 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Visible Low | 5.6 | 19.8° | 80° | Taurus | 20:00 | 03:32 | 11:08 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Optimal Visibility | 7.8 | 40.7° | 150° | Pisces | 17:30 | 23:31 | 05:31 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:02
BEST TIME23:17S · 47° high
SETS05:45
Reaches about 47° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Heavy Lunar Wash.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:01
BEST TIME09:02S · 60° high
SETS16:07
Reaches about 60° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:53
BEST TIME00:01S · 47° high
SETS06:08
Reaches about 47° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:15
BEST TIME13:08S · 27° high
SETS17:55
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
RISES01:11
BEST TIME08:29S · 63° high
SETS15:49
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.
