Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+34.2°
14:55:57
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 13m of true darkness · 11h 37m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:19
Civil Dusk17:41
Nautical18:06
Full Dark18:31
Nadir23:08
Dark Ends03:44
Nautical04:09
Civil Dawn04:34
Sunrise04:56
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE-3.4°
DISTANCE379,989 km
Moonrise15:09
Moonset03:25
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 | 32.7° | 255° | Libra | 04:48 | 11:02 | 17:15 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -30.3° | 281° | Leo | 01:04 | 06:59 | 12:50 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -14.4° | 91° | Pisces | 15:54 | 21:54 | 03:58 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -38.6° | 285° | Cancer | 00:34 | 06:24 | 12:14 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Optimal Visibility | 0.4 | 52.3° | 248° | Libra | 06:09 | 12:26 | 18:43 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -65.8° | 60° | Taurus | 19:39 | 01:25 | 07:15 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -6.7° | 92° | Pisces | 15:23 | 21:24 | 03:30 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES15:09
BEST TIME21:18N · 76° high
SETS03:25
Reaches about 76° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:04
BEST TIME06:59N · 66° high
SETS12:50
Reaches about 66° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES15:54
BEST TIME21:54N · 79° high
SETS03:58
Reaches about 79° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES04:48
BEST TIME11:02S · 82° high
SETS17:15
Reaches about 82° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:34
BEST TIME06:24N · 62° high
SETS12:14
Reaches about 62° 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.
