Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Deep Astronomical Night-19.6° (< −18°)
19:19:30
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 4m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:41
Civil Dusk18:08
Nautical18:38
Full Dark19:08
Nadir00:13
Dark Ends05:17
Nautical05:48
Civil Dawn06:18
Sunrise06:45
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE36.3°
DISTANCE380,351 km
Moonrise16:01
Moonset04:37
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX55% · Moderate Lunar Glow
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
73/100
Fine observing conditions. Open star clusters and nebulae will exhibit crisp structure.
CLOUD COVER15%
HUMIDITY50%
VISIBILITY18 km
DEW POINT10.8°C
| PLANET | STATUS | MAGNITUDE | ALTITUDE | AZIMUTH | CONSTELLATION | RISE | TRANSIT | SET | EQUIPMENT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venus♀ | Below Horizon | -4.3 | -24.7° | 266° | Libra | 06:57 | 12:08 | 17:12 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -36.8° | 347° | Leo | 01:14 | 08:05 | 14:52 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 27.8° | 112° | Pisces | 16:54 | 23:00 | 05:06 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -34.2° | 357° | Cancer | 00:28 | 07:30 | 14:30 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -9.8° | 251° | Libra | 08:37 | 13:31 | 18:26 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -0.2° | 62° | Taurus | 19:21 | 02:31 | 09:45 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Optimal Visibility | 7.8 | 31.9° | 119° | Pisces | 16:29 | 22:30 | 04:31 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:01
BEST TIME22:14S · 54° high
SETS04:37
Reaches about 54° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:14
BEST TIME08:05S · 67° high
SETS14:52
Reaches about 67° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:54
BEST TIME23:00S · 54° high
SETS05:06
Reaches about 54° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES06:57
BEST TIME12:08S · 35° high
SETS17:12
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
RISES00:28
BEST TIME07:30S · 71° high
SETS14:30
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.
