OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

42.25°N, 1.86°EEurope/Madrid

Deep Astronomical Night-25.2° (< −18°)

21:13:38

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 10m of true darkness · 13h 17m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset18:58

Civil Dusk19:27

Nautical19:59

Full Dark20:32

Nadir01:37

Dark Ends06:41

Nautical07:14

Civil Dawn07:47

Sunrise08:15

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE37.9°

DISTANCE379,699 km

Moonrise17:27

Moonset06:10

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX57% · Moderate Lunar Glow

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

72/100

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/Madrid

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Below Horizon	-4.3	-30.7°	274°	Libra	08:30	13:31	18:24	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-32.9°	356°	Leo	02:29	09:28	16:24	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Optimal Visibility	0.3	31.1°	121°	Pisces	18:16	00:23	06:30	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-29.2°	6°	Cancer	01:41	08:51	16:04	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-16.8°	257°	Libra	10:13	14:55	19:36	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Rising / Setting	5.6	6.7°	68°	Taurus	20:30	03:54	11:22	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Optimal Visibility	7.8	34.2°	129°	Pisces	17:53	23:53	05:54	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 · High in the sky

RISES17:27

BEST TIME23:42S · 50° high

SETS06:10

Reaches about 50° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES02:29

BEST TIME09:28S · 62° high

SETS16:24

Reaches about 62° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES18:16

BEST TIME00:23S · 49° high

SETS06:30

Reaches about 49° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · Good height

RISES08:30

BEST TIME13:31S · 30° high

SETS18:24

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

RISES01:41

BEST TIME08:51S · 66° high

SETS16:04

Reaches about 66° 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.