Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+60.7°
13:56:25
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM8h 40m of true darkness · 11h 15m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:24
Civil Dusk18:46
Nautical19:13
Full Dark19:41
Nadir00:01
Dark Ends04:21
Nautical04:48
Civil Dawn05:15
Sunrise05:38
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE-29.2°
DISTANCE380,212 km
Moonrise16:06
Moonset03:40
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 | 61.2° | 272° | Libra | 05:24 | 11:55 | 18:25 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -5.7° | 283° | Leo | 02:14 | 07:52 | 13:30 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -39.8° | 108° | Pisces | 16:48 | 22:47 | 04:50 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -14.7° | 284° | Cancer | 01:43 | 07:18 | 12:50 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Optimal Visibility | 0.4 | 81.3° | 274° | Libra | 06:42 | 13:19 | 19:56 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -84.2° | 263° | Taurus | 20:52 | 02:22 | 07:49 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -32.2° | 105° | Pisces | 16:15 | 22:17 | 04:23 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:06
BEST TIME22:13N · 64° high
SETS03:40
Reaches about 64° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:14
BEST TIME07:52N · 54° high
SETS13:30
Reaches about 54° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:48
BEST TIME22:47N · 67° high
SETS04:50
Reaches about 67° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES05:24
BEST TIME11:55N · 86° high
SETS18:25
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
RISES01:43
BEST TIME07:18N · 50° high
SETS12:50
Reaches about 50° 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.
