Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+23.1°
16:09:36
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 2m of true darkness · 11h 29m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:49
Civil Dusk18:11
Nautical18:37
Full Dark19:02
Nadir23:33
Dark Ends04:04
Nautical04:30
Civil Dawn04:56
Sunrise05:18
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE7.0°
DISTANCE379,714 km
Moonrise15:36
Moonset03:50
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX11% · Minimal Lunar Glare
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
38/100
High cloud cover or severe light interference. Recommend bright planetary observation or indoor planning.
CLOUD COVER15%
HUMIDITY50%
VISIBILITY18 km
DEW POINT10.8°C
| PLANET | STATUS | MAGNITUDE | ALTITUDE | AZIMUTH | CONSTELLATION | RISE | TRANSIT | SET | EQUIPMENT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venus♀ | Visible Low | -4.3 | 22.4° | 256° | Libra | 05:07 | 11:27 | 17:47 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -42.7° | 276° | Leo | 01:35 | 07:25 | 13:11 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -2.5° | 89° | Pisces | 16:20 | 22:20 | 04:24 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -51.1° | 281° | Cancer | 01:05 | 06:50 | 12:33 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Optimal Visibility | 0.4 | 42.5° | 255° | Libra | 06:27 | 12:51 | 19:16 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -56.6° | 74° | Taurus | 20:12 | 01:51 | 07:34 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 4.7° | 89° | Pisces | 15:48 | 21:50 | 03:52 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES15:36
BEST TIME21:45N · 72° high
SETS03:50
Reaches about 72° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:35
BEST TIME07:25N · 61° high
SETS13:11
Reaches about 61° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:20
BEST TIME22:20N · 74° high
SETS04:24
Reaches about 74° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES05:07
BEST TIME11:27S · 86° high
SETS17:47
Reaches about 86° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:05
BEST TIME06:50N · 58° high
SETS12:33
Reaches about 58° 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.
