Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+4.2°
17:41:50
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 4m of true darkness · 13h 55m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:16
Civil Dusk18:52
Nautical19:32
Full Dark20:12
Nadir01:14
Dark Ends06:16
Nautical06:56
Civil Dawn07:36
Sunrise08:11
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE5.3°
DISTANCE380,492 km
Moonrise17:01
Moonset05:54
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♀ | Below Horizon | -4.3 | -1.6° | 242° | Libra | 08:47 | 13:08 | 17:29 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -9.3° | 311° | Leo | 01:39 | 09:05 | 16:28 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -1.2° | 85° | Pisces | 17:50 | 00:00 | 06:14 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -9.8° | 320° | Cancer | 00:44 | 08:30 | 16:15 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Rising / Setting | 0.4 | 5.6° | 224° | Libra | 10:29 | 14:32 | 18:34 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -10.4° | 30° | Taurus | 19:26 | 03:31 | 11:41 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 1.6° | 92° | Pisces | 17:30 | 23:30 | 05:31 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:01
BEST TIME23:18S · 39° high
SETS05:54
Reaches about 39° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:39
BEST TIME09:05S · 52° high
SETS16:28
Reaches about 52° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:50
BEST TIME00:00S · 39° high
SETS06:14
Reaches about 39° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Low in the sky
RISES08:47
BEST TIME13:08S · 19° high
SETS17:29
Only reaches about 19° above the horizon. An open view is important.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:44
BEST TIME08:30S · 55° high
SETS16:15
Reaches about 55° 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.
