Bright moonlight washes out deep sky targets. Focus on lunar craters and bright planets.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Deep Astronomical Night-39.5° (< −18°)
21:28:45
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 7m of true darkness · 13h 38m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:23
Civil Dusk17:55
Nautical18:32
Full Dark19:08
Nadir00:12
Dark Ends05:15
Nautical05:52
Civil Dawn06:28
Sunrise07:01
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE41.8°
DISTANCE379,867 km
Moonrise15:59
Moonset04:42
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX62% · Heavy Lunar Wash
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
70/100
Fine observing conditions. Open star clusters and nebulae will exhibit crisp structure.
CLOUD COVER15%
HUMIDITY50%
VISIBILITY18 km
DEW POINT10.8°C
| PLANET | STATUS | MAGNITUDE | ALTITUDE | AZIMUTH | CONSTELLATION | RISE | TRANSIT | SET | EQUIPMENT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venus♀ | Below Horizon | -4.3 | -45.7° | 300° | Libra | 07:24 | 12:07 | 16:42 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -23.6° | 23° | Leo | 00:50 | 08:00 | 15:14 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Optimal Visibility | 0.3 | 38.9° | 150° | Pisces | 16:50 | 22:59 | 05:07 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -17.7° | 30° | Cancer | 23:57 | 07:27 | 14:58 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Below Horizon | 0.4 | -34.7° | 278° | Libra | 09:06 | 13:30 | 17:50 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Visible Low | 5.6 | 25.0° | 86° | Taurus | 18:44 | 02:30 | 10:20 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Optimal Visibility | 7.8 | 39.2° | 160° | Pisces | 16:28 | 22:29 | 04:29 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES15:59
BEST TIME22:13S · 43° high
SETS04:42
Reaches about 43° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Heavy Lunar Wash.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:50
BEST TIME08:00S · 56° high
SETS15:14
Reaches about 56° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · Good height
RISES16:50
BEST TIME22:59S · 43° high
SETS05:07
Reaches about 43° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES07:24
BEST TIME12:07S · 23° high
SETS16:42
Reaches about 23° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES23:57
BEST TIME07:27S · 59° high
SETS14:58
Reaches about 59° 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.
