Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+59.7°
13:37:06
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 4m of true darkness · 11h 30m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:48
Civil Dusk18:09
Nautical18:35
Full Dark19:00
Nadir23:33
Dark Ends04:05
Nautical04:30
Civil Dawn04:56
Sunrise05:18
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE-28.1°
DISTANCE380,285 km
Moonrise15:35
Moonset03:11
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 | 58.3° | 257° | Libra | 05:08 | 11:27 | 17:45 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -5.9° | 283° | Leo | 01:33 | 07:24 | 13:12 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -39.7° | 100° | Pisces | 16:19 | 22:19 | 04:23 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -14.7° | 285° | Cancer | 01:03 | 06:49 | 12:34 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Optimal Visibility | 0.4 | 76.7° | 234° | Libra | 06:28 | 12:51 | 19:13 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -81.5° | 334° | Taurus | 20:10 | 01:54 | 07:35 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -31.9° | 99° | Pisces | 15:48 | 21:49 | 03:55 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES15:35
BEST TIME21:44N · 73° high
SETS03:11
Reaches about 73° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:33
BEST TIME07:24N · 62° high
SETS13:12
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
RISES16:19
BEST TIME22:19N · 75° high
SETS04:23
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
RISES05:08
BEST TIME11:27S · 85° high
SETS17:45
Reaches about 85° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:03
BEST TIME06:49N · 59° high
SETS12:34
Reaches about 59° 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.
