Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+54.4°
12:41:38
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 2m of true darkness · 12h 33m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:56
Civil Dusk19:19
Nautical19:46
Full Dark20:12
Nadir01:13
Dark Ends06:14
Nautical06:40
Civil Dawn07:07
Sunrise07:30
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE-56.9°
DISTANCE380,268 km
Moonrise17:14
Moonset04:54
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 | 48.4° | 171° | Libra | 07:37 | 13:06 | 18:35 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Optimal Visibility | -2.0 | 38.0° | 271° | Leo | 02:37 | 09:04 | 15:31 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -63.3° | 23° | Pisces | 17:55 | 23:59 | 06:07 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Optimal Visibility | 1.0 | 31.2° | 278° | Cancer | 01:55 | 08:29 | 15:03 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Optimal Visibility | 0.4 | 38.5° | 147° | Libra | 09:06 | 14:31 | 19:55 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -28.8° | 313° | Taurus | 20:51 | 03:34 | 10:13 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -61.3° | 39° | Pisces | 17:28 | 23:29 | 05:34 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:14
BEST TIME23:29S · 71° high
SETS04:54
Reaches about 71° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:37
BEST TIME09:04S · 81° high
SETS15:31
Reaches about 81° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:55
BEST TIME23:59S · 68° high
SETS06:07
Reaches about 68° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES07:37
BEST TIME13:06S · 49° high
SETS18:35
Reaches about 49° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:55
BEST TIME08:29S · 85° high
SETS15:03
Reaches about 85° 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.
