Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+65.2°
13:12:02
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM8h 56m of true darkness · 11h 24m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:49
Civil Dusk18:11
Nautical18:37
Full Dark19:03
Nadir23:31
Dark Ends03:59
Nautical04:25
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-33.1°
DISTANCE380,379 km
Moonrise15:34
Moonset03:09
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 | 64.4° | 263° | Libra | 05:02 | 11:25 | 17:48 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -1.1° | 285° | Leo | 01:38 | 07:22 | 13:07 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -44.6° | 105° | Pisces | 16:18 | 22:17 | 04:21 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -10.0° | 286° | Cancer | 01:06 | 06:48 | 12:28 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Optimal Visibility | 0.4 | 83.1° | 230° | Libra | 06:21 | 12:49 | 19:17 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -79.7° | 297° | Taurus | 20:13 | 01:53 | 07:28 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -36.9° | 104° | Pisces | 15:46 | 21:48 | 03:53 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES15:34
BEST TIME21:42N · 69° high
SETS03:09
Reaches about 69° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:38
BEST TIME07:22N · 59° high
SETS13:07
Reaches about 59° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:18
BEST TIME22:17N · 72° high
SETS04:21
Reaches about 72° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES05:02
BEST TIME11:25S · 89° high
SETS17:48
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
RISES01:06
BEST TIME06:48N · 56° high
SETS12:28
Reaches about 56° 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.
