OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

40.53°N, 28.84°EEurope/Istanbul

Deep Astronomical Night-20.0° (< −18°)

19:57:32

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 12m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset18:13

Civil Dusk18:41

Nautical19:12

Full Dark19:44

Nadir00:49

Dark Ends05:53

Nautical06:25

Civil Dawn06:57

Sunrise07:25

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION92%

ALTITUDE34.9°

DISTANCE380,208 km

Moonrise16:37

Moonset05:16

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX53% · Moderate Lunar Glow

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

73/100

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/Istanbul

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Below Horizon	-4.3	-25.3°	268°	Libra	07:39	12:43	17:41	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-33.8°	348°	Leo	01:44	08:40	15:33	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	27.1°	114°	Pisces	17:29	23:35	05:42	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-31.1°	358°	Cancer	00:57	08:05	15:12	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-11.2°	252°	Libra	09:21	14:07	18:53	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Rising / Setting	5.6	1.3°	63°	Taurus	19:48	03:07	10:29	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Optimal Visibility	7.8	30.8°	121°	Pisces	17:05	23:06	05:06	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

RISES16:37

BEST TIME22:51S · 51° high

SETS05:16

Reaches about 51° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:44

BEST TIME08:40S · 64° high

SETS15:33

Reaches about 64° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES17:29

BEST TIME23:35S · 51° high

SETS05:42

Reaches about 51° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · Good height

RISES07:39

BEST TIME12:43S · 31° high

SETS17:41

Reaches about 31° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES00:57

BEST TIME08:05S · 67° high

SETS15:12

Reaches about 67° 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.