Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+2.1°
18:01:39
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 6m of true darkness · 13h 46m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:19
Civil Dusk18:53
Nautical19:31
Full Dark20:09
Nadir01:12
Dark Ends06:15
Nautical06:53
Civil Dawn07:32
Sunrise08:05
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE8.8°
DISTANCE380,418 km
Moonrise17:00
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 | -3.7° | 246° | Libra | 08:38 | 13:06 | 17:35 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -13.2° | 315° | Leo | 01:44 | 09:03 | 16:20 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Rising / Setting | 0.3 | 1.7° | 89° | Pisces | 17:49 | 23:58 | 06:12 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -13.5° | 324° | Cancer | 00:50 | 08:29 | 16:06 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Rising / Setting | 0.4 | 4.7° | 228° | Libra | 10:19 | 14:30 | 18:42 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -10.4° | 35° | Taurus | 19:34 | 03:30 | 11:29 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 4.8° | 96° | Pisces | 17:28 | 23:29 | 05:29 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:00
BEST TIME23:17S · 41° high
SETS05:50
Reaches about 41° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:44
BEST TIME09:03S · 54° high
SETS16:20
Reaches about 54° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:49
BEST TIME23:58S · 41° high
SETS06:12
Reaches about 41° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:38
BEST TIME13:06S · 21° high
SETS17:35
Reaches about 21° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:50
BEST TIME08:29S · 57° high
SETS16:06
Reaches about 57° 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.
