Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+53.9°
14:08:08
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM8h 38m of true darkness · 11h 14m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:06
Civil Dusk18:29
Nautical18:56
Full Dark19:24
Nadir23:43
Dark Ends04:02
Nautical04:29
Civil Dawn04:56
Sunrise05:19
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE-22.4°
DISTANCE380,168 km
Moonrise15:47
Moonset03:22
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 | 54.2° | 270° | Libra | 05:05 | 11:37 | 18:08 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -12.7° | 280° | Leo | 01:53 | 07:34 | 13:12 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -32.9° | 104° | Pisces | 16:30 | 22:29 | 04:32 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -21.6° | 281° | Cancer | 01:26 | 06:59 | 12:31 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Optimal Visibility | 0.4 | 74.4° | 272° | Libra | 06:23 | 13:01 | 19:39 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -88.2° | 136° | Taurus | 20:35 | 02:00 | 07:30 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -25.3° | 102° | Pisces | 15:57 | 21:59 | 04:05 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES15:47
BEST TIME21:54N · 64° high
SETS03:22
Reaches about 64° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:53
BEST TIME07:34N · 53° high
SETS13:12
Reaches about 53° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:30
BEST TIME22:29N · 66° high
SETS04:32
Reaches about 66° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES05:05
BEST TIME11:37N · 86° high
SETS18:08
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
RISES01:26
BEST TIME06:59N · 50° high
SETS12:31
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.
