OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

63.61°N, 40.51°EEurope/Moscow

Deep Astronomical Night-23.2° (< −18°)

20:05:08

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 43m of true darkness · 14h 59m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset16:33

Civil Dusk17:22

Nautical18:17

Full Dark19:11

Nadir00:03

Dark Ends04:54

Nautical05:48

Civil Dawn06:43

Sunrise07:32

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION92%

ALTITUDE23.8°

DISTANCE380,180 km

Moonrise15:47

Moonset04:46

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX37% · Moderate Lunar Glow

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

79/100

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	-29.8°	292°	Libra	08:36	11:57	15:19	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-11.4°	3°	Leo	23:41	07:50	16:04	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	20.9°	135°	Pisces	16:33	22:49	05:04	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-7.4°	11°	Cancer	22:28	07:17	16:08	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-23.2°	270°	Libra	10:35	13:21	16:07	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Visible Low	5.6	17.0°	77°	Taurus	16:51	02:20	11:54	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	21.4°	143°	Pisces	16:18	22:19	04:20	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

RISES15:47

BEST TIME22:03S · 28° high

SETS04:46

Reaches about 28° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.

JupiterNaked Eye · Good height

RISES23:41

BEST TIME07:50S · 41° high

SETS16:04

Reaches about 41° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · Good height

RISES16:33

BEST TIME22:49S · 28° high

SETS05:04

Reaches about 28° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · Low in the sky

RISES08:36

BEST TIME11:57S · 8° high

SETS15:19

Only reaches about 8° above the horizon. An open view is important.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · Good height

RISES22:28

BEST TIME07:17S · 44° high

SETS16:08

Reaches about 44° 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.