Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Nautical Twilight-7.2° (−6° to −12°)
19:00:37
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 7m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:24
Civil Dusk18:51
Nautical19:22
Full Dark19:52
Nadir00:57
Dark Ends06:02
Nautical06:32
Civil Dawn07:04
Sunrise07:31
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE24.6°
DISTANCE380,422 km
Moonrise16:46
Moonset05:24
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX38% · Moderate Lunar Glow
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
58/100
Partial haze or lunar wash. Bright clusters, double stars, and prominent planets remain well visible.
CLOUD COVER15%
HUMIDITY50%
VISIBILITY18 km
DEW POINT10.8°C
| PLANET | STATUS | MAGNITUDE | ALTITUDE | AZIMUTH | CONSTELLATION | RISE | TRANSIT | SET | EQUIPMENT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venus♀ | Below Horizon | -4.3 | -12.5° | 257° | Libra | 07:51 | 12:52 | 17:53 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -30.9° | 329° | Leo | 01:56 | 08:49 | 15:38 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 15.6° | 101° | Pisces | 17:37 | 23:44 | 05:50 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -30.5° | 340° | Cancer | 01:10 | 08:14 | 15:16 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Rising / Setting | 0.4 | 1.0° | 242° | Libra | 09:24 | 14:15 | 19:07 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -10.1° | 52° | Taurus | 20:01 | 03:15 | 10:33 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 20.1° | 108° | Pisces | 17:13 | 23:14 | 05:15 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:46
BEST TIME22:59S · 53° high
SETS05:24
Reaches about 53° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:56
BEST TIME08:49S · 66° high
SETS15:38
Reaches about 66° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:37
BEST TIME23:44S · 53° high
SETS05:50
Reaches about 53° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES07:51
BEST TIME12:52S · 33° high
SETS17:53
Reaches about 33° 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 TIME08:14S · 69° high
SETS15:16
Reaches about 69° 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.
