Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+6.6°
18:16:14
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 21m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:58
Civil Dusk19:27
Nautical20:01
Full Dark20:34
Nadir01:39
Dark Ends06:43
Nautical07:16
Civil Dawn07:50
Sunrise08:19
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE7.7°
DISTANCE380,363 km
Moonrise17:28
Moonset06:13
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♀ | Rising / Setting | -4.3 | 1.1° | 244° | Libra | 08:43 | 13:33 | 18:23 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -16.7° | 311° | Leo | 02:28 | 09:30 | 16:29 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -0.3° | 87° | Pisces | 18:18 | 00:25 | 06:37 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -18.1° | 320° | Cancer | 01:39 | 08:55 | 16:10 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Visible Low | 0.4 | 11.1° | 227° | Libra | 10:19 | 14:57 | 19:35 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -17.7° | 34° | Taurus | 20:29 | 03:56 | 11:28 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 3.5° | 94° | Pisces | 17:55 | 23:55 | 05:56 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:28
BEST TIME23:44S · 49° high
SETS06:13
Reaches about 49° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:28
BEST TIME09:30S · 61° high
SETS16:29
Reaches about 61° 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 TIME00:25S · 48° high
SETS06:37
Reaches about 48° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:43
BEST TIME13:33S · 28° high
SETS18:23
Reaches about 28° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:39
BEST TIME08:55S · 65° high
SETS16:10
Reaches about 65° 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.
