Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+0.5°
18:33:34
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 6m of true darkness · 13h 46m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:39
Civil Dusk19:12
Nautical19:51
Full Dark20:28
Nadir01:32
Dark Ends06:35
Nautical07:13
Civil Dawn07:51
Sunrise08:25
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE10.7°
DISTANCE380,298 km
Moonrise17:20
Moonset06:11
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX17% · Minimal Lunar Glare
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
36/100
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 | -5.4° | 249° | Libra | 08:57 | 13:26 | 17:55 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -14.7° | 318° | Leo | 02:04 | 09:23 | 16:39 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Rising / Setting | 0.3 | 3.5° | 92° | Pisces | 18:09 | 00:18 | 06:27 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -14.8° | 327° | Cancer | 01:10 | 08:48 | 16:25 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Rising / Setting | 0.4 | 3.4° | 231° | Libra | 10:37 | 14:50 | 19:02 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -9.4° | 38° | Taurus | 19:55 | 03:49 | 11:48 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 6.8° | 99° | Pisces | 17:48 | 23:48 | 05:49 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:20
BEST TIME23:37S · 42° high
SETS06:11
Reaches about 42° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:04
BEST TIME09:23S · 54° high
SETS16:39
Reaches about 54° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · Good height
RISES18:09
BEST TIME00:18S · 41° high
SETS06:27
Reaches about 41° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:57
BEST TIME13:26S · 21° high
SETS17:55
Reaches about 21° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:10
BEST TIME08:48S · 57° high
SETS16:25
Reaches about 57° 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.
