Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Civil Twilight-4.2° (0° to −6°)
19:47:28
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 3m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:27
Civil Dusk19:53
Nautical20:23
Full Dark20:53
Nadir01:58
Dark Ends07:02
Nautical07:33
Civil Dawn08:03
Sunrise08:29
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE22.2°
DISTANCE380,021 km
Moonrise17:49
Moonset06:30
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX35% · 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 | -9.4° | 255° | Libra | 08:47 | 13:52 | 18:57 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -30.9° | 325° | Leo | 03:00 | 09:49 | 16:36 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 13.2° | 98° | Pisces | 18:38 | 00:44 | 06:50 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -31.1° | 336° | Cancer | 02:14 | 09:15 | 16:13 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Rising / Setting | 0.4 | 4.0° | 240° | Libra | 10:21 | 15:16 | 20:12 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -13.3° | 50° | Taurus | 21:07 | 04:16 | 11:29 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 17.9° | 105° | Pisces | 18:14 | 00:15 | 06:15 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:49
BEST TIME00:04S · 56° high
SETS06:30
Reaches about 56° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES03:00
BEST TIME09:49S · 68° high
SETS16:36
Reaches about 68° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES18:38
BEST TIME00:44S · 55° high
SETS06:50
Reaches about 55° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:47
BEST TIME13:52S · 35° high
SETS18:57
Reaches about 35° 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 TIME09:15S · 71° high
SETS16:13
Reaches about 71° 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.
