Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Nautical Twilight-6.2° (−6° to −12°)
20:06:03
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 Dark21:07
Nadir02:11
Dark Ends07:16
Nautical07:49
Civil Dawn08:22
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%
ALTITUDE21.4°
DISTANCE379,952 km
Moonrise18:02
Moonset06:47
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX34% · Moderate Lunar Glow
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
60/100
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 | -11.8° | 257° | Libra | 09:13 | 14:05 | 18:58 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -26.7° | 328° | Leo | 03:03 | 10:03 | 17:00 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 13.3° | 100° | Pisces | 18:50 | 00:58 | 07:05 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -26.2° | 338° | Cancer | 02:14 | 09:28 | 16:40 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Rising / Setting | 0.4 | 0.6° | 241° | Libra | 10:49 | 15:29 | 20:10 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -8.8° | 50° | Taurus | 21:04 | 04:29 | 11:58 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 17.4° | 107° | Pisces | 18:27 | 00:28 | 06:29 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES18:02
BEST TIME00:18S · 50° high
SETS06:47
Reaches about 50° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES03:03
BEST TIME10:03S · 62° high
SETS17:00
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 TIME00:58S · 49° high
SETS07:05
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 · 29° high
SETS18:58
Reaches about 29° 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 · 65° high
SETS16:40
Reaches about 65° 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.
