Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+65.4°
13:04:30
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM7h 41m of true darkness · 10h 43m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset20:08
Civil Dusk20:35
Nautical21:07
Full Dark21:40
Nadir01:30
Dark Ends05:21
Nautical05:54
Civil Dawn06:25
Sunrise06:52
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE-49.4°
DISTANCE380,407 km
Moonrise17:43
Moonset05:13
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 | 72.0° | 15° | Libra | 06:29 | 13:24 | 20:18 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Visible Low | -2.0 | 17.5° | 303° | Leo | 04:01 | 09:21 | 14:42 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -54.1° | 160° | Pisces | 18:18 | 00:16 | 06:18 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Rising / Setting | 1.0 | 9.2° | 300° | Cancer | 03:38 | 08:47 | 13:56 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Optimal Visibility | 0.4 | 63.0° | 65° | Libra | 07:43 | 14:48 | 21:53 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -50.7° | 260° | Taurus | 22:49 | 03:52 | 08:50 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -49.8° | 150° | Pisces | 17:44 | 23:47 | 05:53 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:43
BEST TIME23:46N · 50° high
SETS05:13
Reaches about 50° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · Good height
RISES04:01
BEST TIME09:21N · 40° high
SETS14:42
Reaches about 40° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES18:18
BEST TIME00:16N · 53° high
SETS06:18
Reaches about 53° 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 TIME13:24N · 73° high
SETS20:18
Reaches about 73° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · Good height
RISES03:38
BEST TIME08:47N · 37° high
SETS13:56
Reaches about 37° 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.
