Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+41.2°
14:29:06
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 14m of true darkness · 11h 37m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:21
Civil Dusk17:43
Nautical18:08
Full Dark18:33
Nadir23:10
Dark Ends03:47
Nautical04:12
Civil Dawn04:37
Sunrise04:58
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE-10.3°
DISTANCE380,090 km
Moonrise15:11
Moonset02:47
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 | 39.5° | 255° | Libra | 04:50 | 11:04 | 17:17 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -23.2° | 282° | Leo | 01:06 | 07:01 | 12:53 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -21.6° | 92° | Pisces | 15:56 | 21:56 | 04:00 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -31.6° | 285° | Cancer | 00:35 | 06:27 | 12:16 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Optimal Visibility | 0.4 | 58.7° | 245° | Libra | 06:12 | 12:28 | 18:44 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -71.5° | 50° | Taurus | 19:41 | 01:27 | 07:18 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -13.9° | 93° | Pisces | 15:25 | 21:26 | 03:32 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES15:11
BEST TIME21:20N · 77° high
SETS02:47
Reaches about 77° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:06
BEST TIME07:01N · 66° high
SETS12:53
Reaches about 66° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES15:56
BEST TIME21:56N · 79° high
SETS04:00
Reaches about 79° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES04:50
BEST TIME11:04S · 82° high
SETS17:17
Reaches about 82° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:35
BEST TIME06:27N · 63° high
SETS12:16
Reaches about 63° 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.
