Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+0.6°
17:57:16
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 3m of true darkness · 13h 58m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:04
Civil Dusk18:40
Nautical19:21
Full Dark20:01
Nadir01:03
Dark Ends06:05
Nautical06:45
Civil Dawn07:26
Sunrise08:02
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE9.0°
DISTANCE380,434 km
Moonrise16:50
Moonset05:43
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 | -5.4° | 248° | Libra | 08:40 | 12:57 | 17:16 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -11.7° | 316° | Leo | 01:26 | 08:54 | 16:19 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Rising / Setting | 0.3 | 2.4° | 90° | Pisces | 17:39 | 23:49 | 06:04 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -11.7° | 326° | Cancer | 00:30 | 08:20 | 16:08 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Rising / Setting | 0.4 | 2.4° | 229° | Libra | 10:22 | 14:21 | 18:20 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -7.7° | 36° | Taurus | 19:12 | 03:21 | 11:34 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 5.2° | 98° | Pisces | 17:19 | 23:20 | 05:20 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES16:50
BEST TIME23:07S · 38° high
SETS05:43
Reaches about 38° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:26
BEST TIME08:54S · 51° high
SETS16:19
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
RISES17:39
BEST TIME23:49S · 38° high
SETS06:04
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
RISES08:40
BEST TIME12:57S · 18° high
SETS17:16
Only reaches about 18° above the horizon. An open view is important.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:30
BEST TIME08:20S · 54° high
SETS16:08
Reaches about 54° 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.
