OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

42.22°N, 2.97°EEurope/Madrid

Deep Astronomical Night-24.2° (< −18°)

21:04:14

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 10m of true darkness · 13h 17m 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 Ends06:37

Nautical07:09

Civil Dawn07:42

Sunrise08:11

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE37.2°

DISTANCE379,734 km

Moonrise17:22

Moonset06:06

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX56% · Moderate Lunar Glow

Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

72/100

Good Stargazing

Fine observing conditions. Open star clusters and nebulae will exhibit crisp structure.

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♀	Below Horizon	-4.3	-29.8°	273°	Libra	08:26	13:26	18:20	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-32.8°	355°	Leo	02:24	09:24	16:20	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Optimal Visibility	0.3	30.3°	119°	Pisces	18:11	00:19	06:26	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-29.4°	4°	Cancer	01:36	08:47	16:00	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-15.9°	256°	Libra	10:09	14:50	19:32	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Rising / Setting	5.6	5.8°	67°	Taurus	20:26	03:50	11:18	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Optimal Visibility	7.8	33.5°	128°	Pisces	17:48	23:49	05:49	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 TIME23:38S · 50° high

SETS06:06

Reaches about 50° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES02:24

BEST TIME09:24S · 62° high

SETS16:20

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

RISES18:11

BEST TIME00:19S · 49° high

SETS06:26

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

RISES08:26

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

RISES01:36

BEST TIME08:47S · 66° high

SETS16:00

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.