Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Civil Twilight-5.4° (0° to −6°)
18:45:55
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 3m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:19
Civil Dusk18:45
Nautical19:16
Full Dark19:46
Nadir00:50
Dark Ends05:55
Nautical06:25
Civil Dawn06:55
Sunrise07:22
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE23.6°
DISTANCE380,477 km
Moonrise16:39
Moonset05:16
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX37% · Moderate Lunar Glow
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
44/100
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 | -10.5° | 256° | Libra | 07:41 | 12:45 | 17:50 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -31.4° | 327° | Leo | 01:52 | 08:42 | 15:29 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Visible Low | 0.3 | 14.3° | 99° | Pisces | 17:31 | 23:37 | 05:43 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -31.4° | 337° | Cancer | 01:06 | 08:07 | 15:06 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Rising / Setting | 0.4 | 3.0° | 241° | Libra | 09:14 | 14:09 | 19:04 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -12.3° | 51° | Taurus | 19:59 | 03:08 | 10:22 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 19.0° | 106° | Pisces | 17:07 | 23:07 | 05:08 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:39
BEST TIME22:53S · 55° high
SETS05:16
Reaches about 55° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:52
BEST TIME08:42S · 67° high
SETS15:29
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
RISES17:31
BEST TIME23:37S · 54° high
SETS05:43
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
RISES07:41
BEST TIME12:45S · 35° high
SETS17:50
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
RISES01:06
BEST TIME08:07S · 71° high
SETS15:06
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.
