Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+61.5°
14:13:21
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM7h 46m of true darkness · 10h 46m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:35
Civil Dusk20:01
Nautical20:32
Full Dark21:04
Nadir00:58
Dark Ends04:51
Nautical05:23
Civil Dawn05:54
Sunrise06:21
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE-34.1°
DISTANCE380,149 km
Moonrise17:08
Moonset04:40
HorizonBelow
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX0% · Minimal Lunar Glare
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
42/100
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♀ | Optimal Visibility | -4.3 | 65.4° | 307° | Libra | 05:58 | 12:51 | 19:44 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -0.4° | 287° | Leo | 03:28 | 08:49 | 14:11 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -42.0° | 126° | Pisces | 17:46 | 23:44 | 05:46 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -9.2° | 285° | Cancer | 03:03 | 08:15 | 13:26 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Optimal Visibility | 0.4 | 76.5° | 3° | Libra | 07:13 | 14:16 | 21:19 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -70.3° | 231° | Taurus | 22:14 | 03:19 | 08:20 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -35.5° | 120° | Pisces | 17:11 | 23:14 | 05:21 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:08
BEST TIME23:12N · 51° high
SETS04:40
Reaches about 51° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · Good height
RISES03:28
BEST TIME08:49N · 41° high
SETS14:11
Reaches about 41° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:46
BEST TIME23:44N · 54° high
SETS05:46
Reaches about 54° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES05:58
BEST TIME12:51N · 74° high
SETS19:44
Reaches about 74° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · Good height
RISES03:03
BEST TIME08:15N · 38° high
SETS13:26
Reaches about 38° 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.
