Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+7.0°
18:12:45
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 31m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:00
Civil Dusk19:31
Nautical20:07
Full Dark20:41
Nadir01:46
Dark Ends06:50
Nautical07:25
Civil Dawn08:00
Sunrise08:31
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE5.6°
DISTANCE380,376 km
Moonrise17:35
Moonset06:23
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX9% · Minimal Lunar Glare
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
39/100
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 | 1.3° | 242° | Libra | 08:59 | 13:40 | 18:22 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -13.3° | 309° | Leo | 02:28 | 09:37 | 16:43 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -1.9° | 85° | Pisces | 18:24 | 00:32 | 06:45 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -14.5° | 318° | Cancer | 01:38 | 09:02 | 16:25 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Visible Low | 0.4 | 10.2° | 224° | Libra | 10:36 | 15:04 | 19:32 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -16.0° | 31° | Taurus | 20:25 | 04:03 | 11:46 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 1.6° | 92° | Pisces | 18:02 | 00:02 | 06:03 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:35
BEST TIME23:52S · 46° high
SETS06:23
Reaches about 46° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:28
BEST TIME09:37S · 58° high
SETS16:43
Reaches about 58° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · Good height
RISES18:24
BEST TIME00:32S · 45° high
SETS06:45
Reaches about 45° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:59
BEST TIME13:40S · 25° high
SETS18:22
Reaches about 25° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:38
BEST TIME09:02S · 61° high
SETS16:25
Reaches about 61° 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.
