Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+46.5°
14:53:36
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM8h 21m of true darkness · 11h 3m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:27
Civil Dusk18:52
Nautical19:20
Full Dark19:49
Nadir23:59
Dark Ends04:09
Nautical04:39
Civil Dawn05:07
Sunrise05:31
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE-15.7°
DISTANCE379,998 km
Moonrise16:06
Moonset03:39
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 | 47.5° | 273° | Libra | 05:14 | 11:53 | 18:32 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -19.9° | 276° | Leo | 02:16 | 07:51 | 13:22 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -25.3° | 103° | Pisces | 16:47 | 22:46 | 04:48 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -28.9° | 276° | Cancer | 01:50 | 07:16 | 12:40 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Optimal Visibility | 0.4 | 67.3° | 281° | Libra | 06:30 | 13:17 | 20:04 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -80.0° | 126° | Taurus | 21:00 | 02:17 | 07:37 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -17.9° | 100° | Pisces | 16:14 | 22:16 | 04:22 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:06
BEST TIME22:12N · 59° high
SETS03:39
Reaches about 59° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:16
BEST TIME07:51N · 49° high
SETS13:22
Reaches about 49° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:47
BEST TIME22:46N · 62° high
SETS04:48
Reaches about 62° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES05:14
BEST TIME11:53N · 81° high
SETS18:32
Reaches about 81° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · Good height
RISES01:50
BEST TIME07:16N · 45° high
SETS12:40
Reaches about 45° 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.
