Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+55.9°
13:52:25
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM8h 47m of true darkness · 11h 19m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:54
Civil Dusk18:17
Nautical18:43
Full Dark19:10
Nadir23:34
Dark Ends03:57
Nautical04:24
Civil Dawn04:51
Sunrise05:13
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE-24.2°
DISTANCE380,227 km
Moonrise15:38
Moonset03:13
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 | 55.7° | 266° | Libra | 05:00 | 11:28 | 17:55 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -10.5° | 282° | Leo | 01:41 | 07:25 | 13:06 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -35.1° | 103° | Pisces | 16:21 | 22:20 | 04:24 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -19.5° | 283° | Cancer | 01:13 | 06:51 | 12:27 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Optimal Visibility | 0.4 | 75.8° | 261° | Libra | 06:19 | 12:52 | 19:25 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -88.4° | 348° | Taurus | 20:21 | 01:55 | 07:26 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -27.5° | 101° | Pisces | 15:48 | 21:50 | 03:56 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES15:38
BEST TIME21:45N · 66° high
SETS03:13
Reaches about 66° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:41
BEST TIME07:25N · 56° high
SETS13:06
Reaches about 56° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:21
BEST TIME22:20N · 69° high
SETS04:24
Reaches about 69° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES05:00
BEST TIME11:28N · 89° high
SETS17:55
Reaches about 89° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:13
BEST TIME06:51N · 53° high
SETS12:27
Reaches about 53° 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.
