Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Civil Twilight-5.2° (0° to −6°)
19:29:04
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 10m of true darkness · 13h 14m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:02
Civil Dusk19:30
Nautical20:02
Full Dark20:34
Nadir01:39
Dark Ends06:43
Nautical07:15
Civil Dawn07:48
Sunrise08:16
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE21.1°
DISTANCE380,090 km
Moonrise17:29
Moonset06:12
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX33% · Moderate Lunar Glow
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
45/100
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 | -10.7° | 256° | Libra | 08:38 | 13:33 | 18:29 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -27.3° | 327° | Leo | 02:33 | 09:30 | 16:24 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 12.7° | 99° | Pisces | 18:18 | 00:25 | 06:32 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -27.1° | 337° | Cancer | 01:45 | 08:55 | 16:04 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Rising / Setting | 0.4 | 1.8° | 240° | Libra | 10:13 | 14:57 | 19:41 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -10.3° | 49° | Taurus | 20:35 | 03:56 | 11:21 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 16.9° | 106° | Pisces | 17:55 | 23:55 | 05:56 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:29
BEST TIME23:44S · 51° high
SETS06:12
Reaches about 51° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:33
BEST TIME09:30S · 63° high
SETS16:24
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
RISES18:18
BEST TIME00:25S · 50° high
SETS06:32
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
RISES08:38
BEST TIME13:33S · 31° high
SETS18:29
Reaches about 31° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:45
BEST TIME08:55S · 67° high
SETS16:04
Reaches about 67° 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.
