Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+6.3°
18:25:45
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 24m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:07
Civil Dusk19:36
Nautical20:10
Full Dark20:44
Nadir01:48
Dark Ends06:53
Nautical07:27
Civil Dawn08:01
Sunrise08:30
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE7.6°
DISTANCE380,327 km
Moonrise17:38
Moonset06:24
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 | 0.7° | 244° | Libra | 08:55 | 13:43 | 18:30 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -16.0° | 311° | Leo | 02:36 | 09:40 | 16:41 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -0.3° | 87° | Pisces | 18:27 | 00:35 | 06:47 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -17.3° | 320° | Cancer | 01:46 | 09:05 | 16:22 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Visible Low | 0.4 | 10.4° | 226° | Libra | 10:32 | 15:07 | 19:41 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -16.9° | 34° | Taurus | 20:35 | 04:06 | 11:41 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 3.4° | 94° | Pisces | 18:04 | 00:05 | 06:06 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:38
BEST TIME23:54S · 48° high
SETS06:24
Reaches about 48° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:36
BEST TIME09:40S · 60° high
SETS16:41
Reaches about 60° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES18:27
BEST TIME00:35S · 47° high
SETS06:47
Reaches about 47° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:55
BEST TIME13:43S · 28° high
SETS18:30
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
RISES01:46
BEST TIME09:05S · 64° high
SETS16:22
Reaches about 64° 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.
