Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+64.6°
13:14:33
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM7h 34m of true darkness · 10h 40m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset20:11
Civil Dusk20:38
Nautical21:10
Full Dark21:44
Nadir01:31
Dark Ends05:18
Nautical05:52
Civil Dawn06:24
Sunrise06:51
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE-47.4°
DISTANCE380,369 km
Moonrise17:44
Moonset05:14
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 | 71.2° | 8° | Libra | 06:27 | 13:25 | 20:22 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Visible Low | -2.0 | 15.3° | 302° | Leo | 04:04 | 09:22 | 14:41 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -52.2° | 157° | Pisces | 18:20 | 00:17 | 06:19 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Rising / Setting | 1.0 | 7.0° | 298° | Cancer | 03:41 | 08:48 | 13:55 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Optimal Visibility | 0.4 | 64.0° | 59° | Libra | 07:41 | 14:49 | 21:57 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -52.3° | 256° | Taurus | 22:53 | 03:52 | 08:48 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -47.7° | 147° | Pisces | 17:45 | 23:48 | 05:55 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:44
BEST TIME23:47N · 48° high
SETS05:14
Reaches about 48° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · Good height
RISES04:04
BEST TIME09:22N · 39° high
SETS14:41
Reaches about 39° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES18:20
BEST TIME00:17N · 52° high
SETS06:19
Reaches about 52° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES06:27
BEST TIME13:25N · 71° high
SETS20:22
Reaches about 71° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · Good height
RISES03:41
BEST TIME08:48N · 35° high
SETS13:55
Reaches about 35° 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.
