Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+33.2°
15:13:23
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 16m of true darkness · 11h 39m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:33
Civil Dusk17:54
Nautical18:19
Full Dark18:44
Nadir23:22
Dark Ends04:00
Nautical04:25
Civil Dawn04:50
Sunrise05:11
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE-2.8°
DISTANCE379,924 km
Moonrise15:24
Moonset03:41
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 | 31.6° | 254° | Libra | 05:04 | 11:16 | 17:28 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -30.8° | 282° | Leo | 01:17 | 07:13 | 13:06 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -13.7° | 91° | Pisces | 16:08 | 22:08 | 04:13 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -38.9° | 286° | Cancer | 00:46 | 06:39 | 12:30 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Optimal Visibility | 0.4 | 51.1° | 247° | Libra | 06:25 | 12:40 | 18:55 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -64.4° | 58° | Taurus | 19:51 | 01:40 | 07:32 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -6.0° | 91° | Pisces | 15:37 | 21:39 | 03:44 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES15:24
BEST TIME21:33N · 78° high
SETS03:41
Reaches about 78° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:17
BEST TIME07:13N · 67° high
SETS13:06
Reaches about 67° 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 · 80° high
SETS04:13
Reaches about 80° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES05:04
BEST TIME11:16S · 81° high
SETS17:28
Reaches about 81° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:46
BEST TIME06:39N · 64° high
SETS12:30
Reaches about 64° 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.
