Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Civil Twilight-4.3° (0° to −6°)
19:38:17
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 10m of true darkness · 13h 15m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:15
Civil Dusk19:43
Nautical20:16
Full Dark20:48
Nadir01:53
Dark Ends06:58
Nautical07:30
Civil Dawn08:02
Sunrise08:31
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE20.1°
DISTANCE380,056 km
Moonrise17:43
Moonset06:27
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX32% · Moderate Lunar Glow
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
46/100
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 | -9.9° | 255° | Libra | 08:53 | 13:47 | 18:42 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -26.5° | 326° | Leo | 02:46 | 09:44 | 16:39 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 11.8° | 99° | Pisces | 18:32 | 00:39 | 06:46 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -26.4° | 336° | Cancer | 01:58 | 09:09 | 16:19 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Rising / Setting | 0.4 | 2.4° | 239° | Libra | 10:28 | 15:11 | 19:54 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -10.8° | 48° | Taurus | 20:48 | 04:10 | 11:36 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 16.0° | 105° | Pisces | 18:09 | 00:09 | 06:10 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:43
BEST TIME23:59S · 51° high
SETS06:27
Reaches about 51° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:46
BEST TIME09:44S · 63° high
SETS16:39
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
RISES18:32
BEST TIME00:39S · 50° high
SETS06:46
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
RISES08:53
BEST TIME13:47S · 30° high
SETS18:42
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
RISES01:58
BEST TIME09:09S · 66° high
SETS16:19
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.
