OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

51.64°N, 38.95°EEurope/Moscow

Astronomical Twilight-16.1° (−12° to −18°)

18:57:37

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 5m of true darkness · 13h 49m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset17:14

Civil Dusk17:48

Nautical18:27

Full Dark19:06

Nadir00:09

Dark Ends05:11

Nautical05:50

Civil Dawn06:29

Sunrise07:03

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION92%

ALTITUDE25.7°

DISTANCE380,433 km

Moonrise15:55

Moonset04:40

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX40% · Moderate Lunar Glow

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

68/100

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/Moscow

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Below Horizon	-4.3	-22.1°	269°	Libra	07:38	12:03	16:29	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-22.1°	344°	Leo	00:38	08:00	15:19	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	19.5°	114°	Pisces	16:45	22:55	05:05	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-19.7°	353°	Cancer	23:44	07:25	15:05	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-11.4°	251°	Libra	09:19	13:27	17:35	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Rising / Setting	5.6	3.5°	60°	Taurus	18:27	02:26	10:29	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	22.1°	122°	Pisces	16:25	22:25	04:26	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 · Good height

RISES15:55

BEST TIME22:09S · 40° high

SETS04:40

Reaches about 40° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES00:38

BEST TIME08:00S · 53° high

SETS15:19

Reaches about 53° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · Good height

RISES16:45

BEST TIME22:55S · 40° high

SETS05:05

Reaches about 40° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · Good height

RISES07:38

BEST TIME12:03S · 20° high

SETS16:29

Reaches about 20° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES23:44

BEST TIME07:25S · 56° high

SETS15:05

Reaches about 56° 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.