Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+53.4°
13:52:35
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 3m of true darkness · 11h 29m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:37
Civil Dusk17:59
Nautical18:25
Full Dark18:50
Nadir23:22
Dark Ends03:54
Nautical04:19
Civil Dawn04:45
Sunrise05:07
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE-21.9°
DISTANCE380,227 km
Moonrise15:24
Moonset03:00
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 | 52.2° | 258° | Libra | 04:57 | 11:16 | 17:35 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -12.2° | 282° | Leo | 01:23 | 07:13 | 13:01 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -33.3° | 98° | Pisces | 16:08 | 22:08 | 04:12 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -21.0° | 284° | Cancer | 00:53 | 06:39 | 12:23 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Optimal Visibility | 0.4 | 71.4° | 245° | Libra | 06:17 | 12:40 | 19:03 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -82.4° | 19° | Taurus | 20:00 | 01:40 | 07:23 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -25.5° | 97° | Pisces | 15:37 | 21:39 | 03:44 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES15:24
BEST TIME21:33N · 72° high
SETS03:00
Reaches about 72° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:23
BEST TIME07:13N · 62° high
SETS13:01
Reaches about 62° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:08
BEST TIME22:08N · 75° high
SETS04:12
Reaches about 75° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES04:57
BEST TIME11:16S · 86° high
SETS17:35
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
RISES00:53
BEST TIME06:39N · 58° high
SETS12:23
Reaches about 58° 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.
