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-32.2° (< −18°)
21:35:08
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
Sunset18:32
Civil Dusk19:02
Nautical19:37
Full Dark20:11
Nadir01:15
Dark Ends06:20
Nautical06:54
Civil Dawn07:28
Sunrise07:58
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE41.0°
DISTANCE379,843 km
Moonrise17:04
Moonset05:46
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX61% · 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 | -38.0° | 284° | Libra | 08:16 | 13:10 | 17:56 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -29.7° | 8° | Leo | 02:01 | 09:03 | 16:09 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Optimal Visibility | 0.3 | 35.6° | 132° | Pisces | 17:54 | 00:02 | 06:10 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -24.9° | 17° | Cancer | 01:12 | 08:30 | 15:51 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -25.0° | 265° | Libra | 10:01 | 14:33 | 19:06 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Visible Low | 5.6 | 14.9° | 75° | Taurus | 20:00 | 03:33 | 11:10 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Optimal Visibility | 7.8 | 37.6° | 142° | Pisces | 17:31 | 23:32 | 05:33 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:04
BEST TIME23:18S · 47° high
SETS05:46
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 TIME09:03S · 59° high
SETS16:09
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
RISES17:54
BEST TIME00:02S · 46° high
SETS06:10
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 TIME13:10S · 27° high
SETS17:56
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
RISES01:12
BEST TIME08:30S · 63° high
SETS15:51
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.
