OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

45.45°N, 35.84°EEurope/Simferopol

Deep Astronomical Night-18.6° (< −18°)

19:23:23

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 27m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset17:38

Civil Dusk18:08

Nautical18:42

Full Dark19:16

Nadir00:21

Dark Ends05:25

Nautical05:59

Civil Dawn06:34

Sunrise07:04

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION92%

ALTITUDE31.1°

DISTANCE380,336 km

Moonrise16:08

Moonset04:49

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX48% · Moderate Lunar Glow

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

75/100

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/Simferopol

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Below Horizon	-4.3	-24.3°	269°	Libra	07:31	12:16	17:01	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-28.7°	347°	Leo	01:06	08:13	15:15	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	24.0°	114°	Pisces	17:00	23:08	05:15	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-26.1°	356°	Cancer	00:16	07:38	14:57	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-11.6°	252°	Libra	09:08	13:39	18:11	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Rising / Setting	5.6	2.5°	62°	Taurus	19:05	02:39	10:17	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	27.2°	122°	Pisces	16:37	22:38	04:38	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

RISES16:08

BEST TIME22:22S · 46° high

SETS04:49

Reaches about 46° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:06

BEST TIME08:13S · 59° high

SETS15:15

Reaches about 59° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES17:00

BEST TIME23:08S · 46° high

SETS05:15

Reaches about 46° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · Good height

RISES07:31

BEST TIME12:16S · 27° high

SETS17:01

Reaches about 27° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES00:16

BEST TIME07:38S · 63° high

SETS14:57

Reaches about 63° 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.