Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+2.0°
17:59:05
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 5m of true darkness · 13h 50m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:16
Civil Dusk18:50
Nautical19:29
Full Dark20:08
Nadir01:11
Dark Ends06:13
Nautical06:52
Civil Dawn07:32
Sunrise08:06
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE8.4°
DISTANCE380,427 km
Moonrise16:59
Moonset05:50
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX14% · Minimal Lunar Glare
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
37/100
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 | -3.8° | 246° | Libra | 08:40 | 13:05 | 17:31 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -12.4° | 315° | Leo | 01:40 | 09:02 | 16:21 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Rising / Setting | 0.3 | 1.5° | 89° | Pisces | 17:47 | 23:57 | 06:11 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -12.7° | 324° | Cancer | 00:45 | 08:27 | 16:08 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Rising / Setting | 0.4 | 4.3° | 228° | Libra | 10:22 | 14:29 | 18:37 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -9.8° | 35° | Taurus | 19:29 | 03:28 | 11:32 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 4.5° | 96° | Pisces | 17:27 | 23:28 | 05:28 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES16:59
BEST TIME23:15S · 40° high
SETS05:50
Reaches about 40° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:40
BEST TIME09:02S · 53° high
SETS16:21
Reaches about 53° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:47
BEST TIME23:57S · 40° high
SETS06:11
Reaches about 40° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:40
BEST TIME13:05S · 20° high
SETS17:31
Reaches about 20° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:45
BEST TIME08:27S · 56° high
SETS16:08
Reaches about 56° 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.
