Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+37.8°
15:35:27
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM8h 11m of true darkness · 10h 59m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:34
Civil Dusk18:58
Nautical19:27
Full Dark19:57
Nadir00:03
Dark Ends04:09
Nautical04:38
Civil Dawn05:08
Sunrise05:32
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE-7.5°
DISTANCE379,842 km
Moonrise16:10
Moonset03:43
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 | 39.0° | 270° | Libra | 05:13 | 11:57 | 18:40 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -28.5° | 271° | Leo | 02:22 | 07:54 | 13:23 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -16.6° | 98° | Pisces | 16:51 | 22:49 | 04:52 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -37.5° | 271° | Cancer | 01:57 | 07:20 | 12:40 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Optimal Visibility | 0.4 | 58.6° | 278° | Libra | 06:30 | 13:21 | 20:12 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -71.4° | 113° | Taurus | 21:08 | 02:20 | 07:37 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -9.2° | 96° | Pisces | 16:17 | 22:19 | 04:26 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:10
BEST TIME22:15N · 56° high
SETS03:43
Reaches about 56° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:22
BEST TIME07:54N · 46° high
SETS13:23
Reaches about 46° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:51
BEST TIME22:49N · 59° high
SETS04:52
Reaches about 59° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES05:13
BEST TIME11:57N · 79° high
SETS18:40
Reaches about 79° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · Good height
RISES01:57
BEST TIME07:20N · 43° high
SETS12:40
Reaches about 43° 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.
