Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+0.3°
18:01:01
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
Sunset18:05
Civil Dusk18:37
Nautical19:13
Full Dark19:49
Nadir00:53
Dark Ends05:57
Nautical06:33
Civil Dawn07:09
Sunrise07:41
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE12.2°
DISTANCE380,420 km
Moonrise16:41
Moonset05:28
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX20% · Minimal Lunar Glare
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
35/100
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 | -5.5° | 250° | Libra | 08:11 | 12:47 | 17:24 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -17.2° | 319° | Leo | 01:31 | 08:44 | 15:54 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Rising / Setting | 0.3 | 4.6° | 93° | Pisces | 17:31 | 23:39 | 05:48 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -17.4° | 328° | Cancer | 00:40 | 08:09 | 15:38 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Rising / Setting | 0.4 | 4.0° | 232° | Libra | 09:49 | 14:11 | 18:33 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -10.6° | 40° | Taurus | 19:26 | 03:10 | 10:59 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 8.1° | 100° | Pisces | 17:09 | 23:10 | 05:10 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES16:41
BEST TIME22:57S · 44° high
SETS05:28
Reaches about 44° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:31
BEST TIME08:44S · 56° high
SETS15:54
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
RISES17:31
BEST TIME23:39S · 43° high
SETS05:48
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
RISES08:11
BEST TIME12:47S · 24° high
SETS17:24
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
RISES00:40
BEST TIME08:09S · 60° high
SETS15:38
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.
