Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+48.7°
14:35:54
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM8h 39m of true darkness · 11h 14m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:11
Civil Dusk18:34
Nautical19:01
Full Dark19:28
Nadir23:48
Dark Ends04:07
Nautical04:35
Civil Dawn05:02
Sunrise05:25
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE-17.5°
DISTANCE380,064 km
Moonrise15:53
Moonset03:27
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 | 49.0° | 268° | Libra | 05:10 | 11:42 | 18:13 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -17.8° | 278° | Leo | 01:58 | 07:39 | 13:17 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -27.7° | 101° | Pisces | 16:35 | 22:34 | 04:37 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -26.8° | 279° | Cancer | 01:31 | 07:05 | 12:37 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Optimal Visibility | 0.4 | 69.1° | 269° | Libra | 06:28 | 13:06 | 19:43 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -83.3° | 99° | Taurus | 20:39 | 02:05 | 07:35 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -20.2° | 99° | Pisces | 16:02 | 22:04 | 04:10 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES15:53
BEST TIME22:00N · 64° high
SETS03:27
Reaches about 64° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:58
BEST TIME07:39N · 54° high
SETS13:17
Reaches about 54° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:35
BEST TIME22:34N · 67° high
SETS04:37
Reaches about 67° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES05:10
BEST TIME11:42N · 86° high
SETS18:13
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
RISES01:31
BEST TIME07:05N · 50° high
SETS12:37
Reaches about 50° 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.
