Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+34.5°
12:54:43
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 10m of true darkness · 13h 23m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:21
Civil Dusk18:50
Nautical19:24
Full Dark19:57
Nadir01:02
Dark Ends06:07
Nautical06:41
Civil Dawn07:14
Sunrise07:44
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE-38.0°
DISTANCE380,219 km
Moonrise16:57
Moonset04:42
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♀ | Visible Low | -4.3 | 28.1° | 180° | Libra | 08:06 | 12:55 | 17:45 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Optimal Visibility | -2.0 | 31.1° | 260° | Leo | 01:53 | 08:53 | 15:53 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -42.0° | 22° | Pisces | 17:40 | 23:48 | 06:00 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Visible Low | 1.0 | 27.4° | 269° | Cancer | 01:03 | 08:19 | 15:34 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Visible Low | 0.4 | 22.2° | 158° | Libra | 09:44 | 14:20 | 18:56 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -16.3° | 324° | Taurus | 19:50 | 03:23 | 10:52 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -41.3° | 32° | Pisces | 17:18 | 23:18 | 05:23 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:57
BEST TIME23:18S · 50° high
SETS04:42
Reaches about 50° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:53
BEST TIME08:53S · 60° high
SETS15:53
Reaches about 60° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:40
BEST TIME23:48S · 48° high
SETS06:00
Reaches about 48° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:06
BEST TIME12:55S · 28° high
SETS17:45
Reaches about 28° 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 TIME08:19S · 64° high
SETS15:34
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.
