Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Civil Twilight-2.3° (0° to −6°)
19:16:29
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 10m of true darkness · 13h 16m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:04
Civil Dusk19:33
Nautical20:05
Full Dark20:37
Nadir01:42
Dark Ends06:47
Nautical07:19
Civil Dawn07:52
Sunrise08:20
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE18.1°
DISTANCE380,137 km
Moonrise17:32
Moonset06:16
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX29% · Moderate Lunar Glow
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
47/100
Partial haze or lunar wash. Bright clusters, double stars, and prominent planets remain well visible.
CLOUD COVER15%
HUMIDITY50%
VISIBILITY18 km
DEW POINT10.8°C
| PLANET | STATUS | MAGNITUDE | ALTITUDE | AZIMUTH | CONSTELLATION | RISE | TRANSIT | SET | EQUIPMENT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venus♀ | Below Horizon | -4.3 | -7.9° | 253° | Libra | 08:43 | 13:36 | 18:31 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -25.1° | 323° | Leo | 02:35 | 09:34 | 16:29 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Rising / Setting | 0.3 | 9.7° | 97° | Pisces | 18:22 | 00:29 | 06:36 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -25.3° | 333° | Cancer | 01:47 | 08:59 | 16:09 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Rising / Setting | 0.4 | 4.0° | 237° | Libra | 10:18 | 15:00 | 19:43 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -12.2° | 46° | Taurus | 20:37 | 04:00 | 11:26 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 13.9° | 103° | Pisces | 17:58 | 23:59 | 06:00 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:32
BEST TIME23:48S · 51° high
SETS06:16
Reaches about 51° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:35
BEST TIME09:34S · 63° high
SETS16:29
Reaches about 63° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES18:22
BEST TIME00:29S · 50° high
SETS06:36
Reaches about 50° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:43
BEST TIME13:36S · 30° high
SETS18:31
Reaches about 30° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:47
BEST TIME08:59S · 66° high
SETS16:09
Reaches about 66° 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.
