OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

47.18°N, 8.46°EEurope/Zurich

Deep Astronomical Night-18.5° (< −18°)

20:12:27

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 8m of true darkness · 13h 33m total night

DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset18:24

Civil Dusk18:55

Nautical19:31

Full Dark20:06

Nadir01:10

Dark Ends06:14

Nautical06:50

Civil Dawn07:25

Sunrise07:57

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE30.0°

DISTANCE379,928 km

Moonrise16:59

Moonset05:46

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX46% · Moderate Lunar Glow

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

76/100

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/Zurich

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Below Horizon	-4.3	-24.3°	270°	Libra	08:25	13:05	17:45	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-27.0°	347°	Leo	01:51	09:02	16:09	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	23.3°	115°	Pisces	17:48	23:57	06:05	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-24.4°	356°	Cancer	01:01	08:27	15:52	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-12.1°	253°	Libra	10:03	14:28	18:54	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Rising / Setting	5.6	3.3°	62°	Taurus	19:47	03:28	11:12	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	26.3°	123°	Pisces	17:26	23:27	05:28	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 · Good height

RISES16:59

BEST TIME23:15S · 45° high

SETS05:46

Reaches about 45° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:51

BEST TIME09:02S · 57° high

SETS16:09

Reaches about 57° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · Good height

RISES17:48

BEST TIME23:57S · 44° high

SETS06:05

Reaches about 44° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · Good height

RISES08:25

BEST TIME13:05S · 25° high

SETS17:45

Reaches about 25° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:01

BEST TIME08:27S · 61° high

SETS15:52

Reaches about 61° 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.