OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

41.86°N, 3.08°EEurope/Madrid

Daylight+10.6°

17:49:00

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

Sunset18:54

Civil Dusk19:22

Nautical19:55

Full Dark20:27

Nadir01:32

Dark Ends06:36

Nautical07:09

Civil Dawn07:41

Sunrise08:10

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION92%

ALTITUDE4.3°

DISTANCE380,465 km

Moonrise17:22

Moonset06:05

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX7% · Minimal Lunar Glare

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

39/100

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	4.9°	241°	Libra	08:32	13:26	18:20	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-14.8°	306°	Leo	02:24	09:23	16:19	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Below Horizon	0.3	-4.2°	84°	Pisces	18:11	00:18	06:29	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-16.8°	315°	Cancer	01:37	08:48	15:59	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Visible Low	0.4	14.9°	223°	Libra	10:07	14:50	19:32	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Below Horizon	5.6	-21.0°	29°	Taurus	20:27	03:49	11:16	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Rising / Setting	7.8	0.1°	90°	Pisces	17:48	23:48	05:53	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

RISES17:22

BEST TIME23:37S · 50° high

SETS06:05

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

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES02:24

BEST TIME09:23S · 63° high

SETS16:19

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

RISES18:11

BEST TIME00:18S · 50° high

SETS06:29

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

RISES08:32

BEST TIME13:26S · 30° high

SETS18:20

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

RISES01:37

BEST TIME08:48S · 66° high

SETS15:59

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.