Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Civil Twilight-1.1° (0° to −6°)
19:37:28
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 10m of true darkness · 13h 18m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:32
Civil Dusk20:01
Nautical20:34
Full Dark21:06
Nadir02:11
Dark Ends07:16
Nautical07:48
Civil Dawn08:21
Sunrise08:50
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE16.5°
DISTANCE380,059 km
Moonrise18:01
Moonset06:46
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX26% · Moderate Lunar Glow
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
48/100
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 | -6.7° | 252° | Libra | 09:13 | 14:05 | 18:58 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -23.7° | 321° | Leo | 03:02 | 10:02 | 16:59 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Rising / Setting | 0.3 | 8.2° | 96° | Pisces | 18:50 | 00:57 | 07:04 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -24.1° | 331° | Cancer | 02:14 | 09:28 | 16:39 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Rising / Setting | 0.4 | 4.8° | 236° | Libra | 10:48 | 15:29 | 20:10 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -12.7° | 44° | Taurus | 21:04 | 04:28 | 11:57 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 12.4° | 102° | Pisces | 18:27 | 00:28 | 06:28 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES18:01
BEST TIME00:18S · 50° high
SETS06:46
Reaches about 50° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES03:02
BEST TIME10:02S · 62° high
SETS16:59
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
RISES18:50
BEST TIME00:57S · 49° high
SETS07:04
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
RISES09:13
BEST TIME14:05S · 30° high
SETS18:58
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
RISES02:14
BEST TIME09:28S · 66° high
SETS16:39
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.
