Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+4.9°
17:35:47
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 8m of true darkness · 13h 36m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:11
Civil Dusk18:43
Nautical19:19
Full Dark19:55
Nadir00:59
Dark Ends06:03
Nautical06:39
Civil Dawn07:15
Sunrise07:47
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°
DISTANCE380,515 km
Moonrise16:47
Moonset05:35
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 | -0.6° | 244° | Libra | 08:17 | 12:53 | 17:31 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -13.5° | 312° | Leo | 01:38 | 08:50 | 16:00 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -0.2° | 87° | Pisces | 17:37 | 23:45 | 05:58 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -14.4° | 321° | Cancer | 00:46 | 08:16 | 15:43 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Rising / Setting | 0.4 | 8.0° | 226° | Libra | 09:55 | 14:17 | 18:39 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -13.8° | 33° | Taurus | 19:33 | 03:17 | 11:05 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 3.1° | 94° | Pisces | 17:15 | 23:16 | 05:16 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES16:47
BEST TIME23:03S · 44° high
SETS05:35
Reaches about 44° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:38
BEST TIME08:50S · 56° high
SETS16:00
Reaches about 56° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:37
BEST TIME23:45S · 43° high
SETS05:58
Reaches about 43° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:17
BEST TIME12:53S · 24° high
SETS17:31
Reaches about 24° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:46
BEST TIME08:16S · 60° high
SETS15:43
Reaches about 60° 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.
