OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

42.02°N, 1.30°EEurope/Madrid

Daylight+7.7°

18:13:09

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

Sunset19:01

Civil Dusk19:29

Nautical20:02

Full Dark20:34

Nadir01:39

Dark Ends06:44

Nautical07:16

Civil Dawn07:49

Sunrise08:17

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION92%

ALTITUDE7.3°

DISTANCE380,375 km

Moonrise17:29

Moonset06:13

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX12% · Minimal Lunar Glare

Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

38/100

Challenging Stargazing

High cloud cover or severe light interference. Recommend bright planetary observation or indoor planning.

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♀	Rising / Setting	-4.3	2.2°	244°	Libra	08:40	13:33	18:27	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-17.2°	310°	Leo	02:31	09:30	16:26	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Below Horizon	0.3	-1.0°	87°	Pisces	18:18	00:25	06:37	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-18.8°	319°	Cancer	01:43	08:56	16:06	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Visible Low	0.4	12.5°	226°	Libra	10:15	14:57	19:39	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Below Horizon	5.6	-19.2°	33°	Taurus	20:33	03:56	11:24	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Rising / Setting	7.8	3.0°	93°	Pisces	17:55	23:56	05:56	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

RISES17:29

BEST TIME23:44S · 50° high

SETS06:13

Reaches about 50° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES02:31

BEST TIME09:30S · 62° high

SETS16:26

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

RISES18:18

BEST TIME00:25S · 49° high

SETS06:37

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

RISES08:40

BEST TIME13:33S · 30° high

SETS18:27

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

RISES01:43

BEST TIME08:56S · 66° high

SETS16:06

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.