Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+62.6°
14:40:45
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM7h 53m of true darkness · 10h 49m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset20:02
Civil Dusk20:27
Nautical20:58
Full Dark21:30
Nadir01:26
Dark Ends05:23
Nautical05:54
Civil Dawn06:25
Sunrise06:51
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE-35.0°
DISTANCE380,046 km
Moonrise17:38
Moonset05:09
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 | 66.4° | 305° | Libra | 06:29 | 13:20 | 20:10 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Rising / Setting | -2.0 | 0.1° | 287° | Leo | 03:54 | 09:18 | 14:41 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -42.9° | 125° | Pisces | 18:14 | 00:12 | 06:14 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -8.6° | 285° | Cancer | 03:30 | 08:43 | 13:57 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Optimal Visibility | 0.4 | 77.7° | 4° | Libra | 07:44 | 14:44 | 21:44 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -70.9° | 234° | Taurus | 22:40 | 03:48 | 08:52 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -36.3° | 120° | Pisces | 17:40 | 23:43 | 05:49 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:38
BEST TIME23:42N · 52° high
SETS05:09
Reaches about 52° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · Good height
RISES03:54
BEST TIME09:18N · 42° high
SETS14:41
Reaches about 42° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES18:14
BEST TIME00:12N · 55° high
SETS06:14
Reaches about 55° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES06:29
BEST TIME13:20N · 75° high
SETS20:10
Reaches about 75° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · Good height
RISES03:30
BEST TIME08:43N · 39° high
SETS13:57
Reaches about 39° 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.
