Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Civil Twilight-4.5° (0° to −6°)
19:55:31
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 10m of true darkness · 13h 10m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:32
Civil Dusk20:00
Nautical20:31
Full Dark21:02
Nadir02:07
Dark Ends07:12
Nautical07:43
Civil Dawn08:15
Sunrise08:42
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°
DISTANCE379,991 km
Moonrise17:58
Moonset06:41
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 | -9.9° | 255° | Libra | 09:03 | 14:01 | 19:00 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -28.3° | 326° | Leo | 03:04 | 09:59 | 16:50 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 12.6° | 99° | Pisces | 18:47 | 00:54 | 07:00 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -28.3° | 336° | Cancer | 02:17 | 09:24 | 16:29 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Rising / Setting | 0.4 | 2.8° | 240° | Libra | 10:37 | 15:25 | 20:14 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -11.6° | 49° | Taurus | 21:08 | 04:25 | 11:46 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 17.0° | 105° | Pisces | 18:23 | 00:24 | 06:24 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:58
BEST TIME00:14S · 53° high
SETS06:41
Reaches about 53° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES03:04
BEST TIME09:59S · 65° high
SETS16:50
Reaches about 65° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES18:47
BEST TIME00:54S · 52° high
SETS07:00
Reaches about 52° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES09:03
BEST TIME14:01S · 32° high
SETS19:00
Reaches about 32° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:17
BEST TIME09:24S · 68° high
SETS16:29
Reaches about 68° 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.
