Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+1.3°
17:51:07
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 1m of true darkness · 14h 7m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:04
Civil Dusk18:42
Nautical19:24
Full Dark20:06
Nadir01:07
Dark Ends06:08
Nautical06:50
Civil Dawn07:33
Sunrise08:11
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE7.2°
DISTANCE380,457 km
Moonrise16:54
Moonset05:49
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX12% · 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 | -4.8° | 246° | Libra | 08:51 | 13:01 | 17:12 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -9.4° | 314° | Leo | 01:24 | 08:58 | 16:29 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Rising / Setting | 0.3 | 1.0° | 88° | Pisces | 17:42 | 23:53 | 06:09 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -9.3° | 323° | Cancer | 00:26 | 08:24 | 16:20 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Rising / Setting | 0.4 | 2.3° | 227° | Libra | 10:36 | 14:25 | 18:15 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -7.1° | 34° | Taurus | 19:06 | 03:25 | 11:48 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 3.6° | 96° | Pisces | 17:23 | 23:24 | 05:24 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES16:54
BEST TIME23:11S · 37° high
SETS05:49
Reaches about 37° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:24
BEST TIME08:58S · 49° high
SETS16:29
Reaches about 49° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:42
BEST TIME23:53S · 36° high
SETS06:09
Reaches about 36° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Low in the sky
RISES08:51
BEST TIME13:01S · 17° high
SETS17:12
Only reaches about 17° above the horizon. An open view is important.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:26
BEST TIME08:24S · 53° high
SETS16:20
Reaches about 53° 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.
