Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+0.7°
17:49:00
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 59m of true darkness · 14h 15m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:57
Civil Dusk18:36
Nautical19:21
Full Dark20:05
Nadir01:04
Dark Ends06:03
Nautical06:48
Civil Dawn07:32
Sunrise08:12
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE7.1°
DISTANCE380,465 km
Moonrise16:51
Moonset05:48
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX11% · Minimal Lunar Glare
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
38/100
High cloud cover or severe light interference. Recommend bright planetary observation or indoor planning.
CLOUD COVER15%
HUMIDITY50%
VISIBILITY18 km
DEW POINT10.8°C
| PLANET | STATUS | MAGNITUDE | ALTITUDE | AZIMUTH | CONSTELLATION | RISE | TRANSIT | SET | EQUIPMENT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venus♀ | Below Horizon | -4.3 | -5.5° | 246° | Libra | 08:56 | 12:58 | 17:02 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -8.3° | 315° | Leo | 01:15 | 08:55 | 16:32 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Rising / Setting | 0.3 | 1.2° | 89° | Pisces | 17:39 | 23:50 | 06:06 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -8.1° | 324° | Cancer | 00:15 | 08:21 | 16:24 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Rising / Setting | 0.4 | 1.2° | 227° | Libra | 10:42 | 14:22 | 18:03 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -5.7° | 34° | Taurus | 18:53 | 03:22 | 11:55 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 3.5° | 96° | Pisces | 17:20 | 23:21 | 05:21 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES16:51
BEST TIME23:08S · 35° high
SETS05:48
Reaches about 35° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:15
BEST TIME08:55S · 47° high
SETS16:32
Reaches about 47° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:39
BEST TIME23:50S · 34° high
SETS06:06
Reaches about 34° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Low in the sky
RISES08:56
BEST TIME12:58S · 15° high
SETS17:02
Only reaches about 15° above the horizon. An open view is important.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:15
BEST TIME08:21S · 51° high
SETS16:24
Reaches about 51° 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.
