Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+38.3°
15:34:17
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM8h 44m of true darkness · 11h 17m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:22
Civil Dusk18:44
Nautical19:11
Full Dark19:38
Nadir00:00
Dark Ends04:23
Nautical04:50
Civil Dawn05:16
Sunrise05:39
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE-7.4°
DISTANCE379,846 km
Moonrise16:06
Moonset03:40
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 | 38.1° | 263° | Libra | 05:25 | 11:54 | 18:23 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -28.3° | 276° | Leo | 02:09 | 07:52 | 13:32 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -17.3° | 95° | Pisces | 16:47 | 22:47 | 04:50 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -37.2° | 277° | Cancer | 01:41 | 07:17 | 12:52 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Optimal Visibility | 0.4 | 58.4° | 263° | Libra | 06:44 | 13:19 | 19:53 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -72.6° | 85° | Taurus | 20:49 | 02:18 | 07:51 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -9.7° | 94° | Pisces | 16:15 | 22:17 | 04:23 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:06
BEST TIME22:13N · 65° high
SETS03:40
Reaches about 65° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:09
BEST TIME07:52N · 55° high
SETS13:32
Reaches about 55° 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 TIME22:47N · 68° high
SETS04:50
Reaches about 68° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES05:25
BEST TIME11:54N · 88° high
SETS18:23
Reaches about 88° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:41
BEST TIME07:17N · 52° high
SETS12:52
Reaches about 52° 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.
