Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+2.2°
17:44:56
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
Sunset18:04
Civil Dusk18:39
Nautical19:19
Full Dark19:59
Nadir01:01
Dark Ends06:03
Nautical06:43
Civil Dawn07:23
Sunrise07:59
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE7.6°
DISTANCE380,481 km
Moonrise16:49
Moonset05:41
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 | -3.7° | 245° | Libra | 08:35 | 12:55 | 17:16 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -11.0° | 314° | Leo | 01:27 | 08:53 | 16:15 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Rising / Setting | 0.3 | 0.9° | 88° | Pisces | 17:37 | 23:48 | 06:02 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -11.3° | 323° | Cancer | 00:31 | 08:18 | 16:03 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Rising / Setting | 0.4 | 3.9° | 227° | Libra | 10:17 | 14:19 | 18:21 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -9.1° | 34° | Taurus | 19:13 | 03:19 | 11:28 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 3.7° | 95° | Pisces | 17:17 | 23:18 | 05:18 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES16:49
BEST TIME23:05S · 39° high
SETS05:41
Reaches about 39° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:27
BEST TIME08:53S · 51° high
SETS16:15
Reaches about 51° 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 TIME23:48S · 38° high
SETS06:02
Reaches about 38° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Low in the sky
RISES08:35
BEST TIME12:55S · 19° high
SETS17:16
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
RISES00:31
BEST TIME08:18S · 55° high
SETS16:03
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.
