OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

40.73°N, 33.52°EEurope/Istanbul

Deep Astronomical Night-26.3° (< −18°)

20:12:21

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

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

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset17:54

Civil Dusk18:22

Nautical18:54

Full Dark19:25

Nadir00:30

Dark Ends05:35

Nautical06:06

Civil Dawn06:38

Sunrise07:06

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION92%

ALTITUDE39.8°

DISTANCE380,153 km

Moonrise16:18

Moonset04:57

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX59% · Moderate Lunar Glow

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

71/100

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	-31.7°	273°	Libra	07:21	12:25	17:22	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-34.4°	358°	Leo	01:25	08:22	15:15	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Optimal Visibility	0.3	32.6°	121°	Pisces	17:10	23:17	05:24	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-30.6°	7°	Cancer	00:38	07:45	14:54	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-17.4°	257°	Libra	09:03	13:48	18:34	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Rising / Setting	5.6	7.0°	68°	Taurus	19:29	02:48	10:11	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Optimal Visibility	7.8	35.8°	129°	Pisces	16:46	22:47	04:48	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

RISES16:18

BEST TIME22:32S · 51° high

SETS04:57

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

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:25

BEST TIME08:22S · 64° high

SETS15:15

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

RISES17:10

BEST TIME23:17S · 51° high

SETS05:24

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

RISES07:21

BEST TIME12:25S · 31° high

SETS17:22

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

RISES00:38

BEST TIME07:45S · 67° high

SETS14:54

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.