OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

37.39°N, 27.29°EEurope/Istanbul

Deep Astronomical Night-21.4° (< −18°)

20:10:19

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

Sunset18:23

Civil Dusk18:50

Nautical19:20

Full Dark19:50

Nadir00:55

Dark Ends05:59

Nautical06:30

Civil Dawn07:00

Sunrise07:27

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION92%

ALTITUDE37.7°

DISTANCE380,160 km

Moonrise16:44

Moonset05:21

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX57% · 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/Istanbul

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Below Horizon	-4.3	-26.5°	267°	Libra	07:39	12:50	17:54	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-37.2°	349°	Leo	01:56	08:47	15:34	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	29.5°	113°	Pisces	17:35	23:42	05:48	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-34.3°	360°	Cancer	01:10	08:12	15:11	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-11.5°	253°	Libra	09:19	14:13	19:08	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Rising / Setting	5.6	1.1°	64°	Taurus	20:03	03:13	10:27	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Optimal Visibility	7.8	33.5°	121°	Pisces	17:11	23:12	05:12	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

RISES16:44

BEST TIME22:57S · 55° high

SETS05:21

Reaches about 55° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:56

BEST TIME08:47S · 67° high

SETS15:34

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

RISES17:35

BEST TIME23:42S · 54° high

SETS05:48

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

RISES07:39

BEST TIME12:50S · 35° high

SETS17:54

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

RISES01:10

BEST TIME08:12S · 71° high

SETS15:11

Reaches about 71° 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.