Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+62.6°
11:40:00
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 55m of true darkness · 12h 20m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:35
Civil Dusk17:57
Nautical18:22
Full Dark18:47
Nadir23:45
Dark Ends04:42
Nautical05:08
Civil Dawn05:33
Sunrise05:55
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE-56.6°
DISTANCE380,049 km
Moonrise15:48
Moonset03:28
HorizonBelow
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX0% · Minimal Lunar Glare
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
42/100
Partial haze or lunar wash. Bright clusters, double stars, and prominent planets remain well visible.
CLOUD COVER15%
HUMIDITY50%
VISIBILITY18 km
DEW POINT10.8°C
| PLANET | STATUS | MAGNITUDE | ALTITUDE | AZIMUTH | CONSTELLATION | RISE | TRANSIT | SET | EQUIPMENT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venus♀ | Optimal Visibility | -4.3 | 56.2° | 181° | Libra | 05:58 | 11:38 | 17:18 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Optimal Visibility | -2.0 | 31.3° | 277° | Leo | 01:18 | 07:36 | 13:54 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -65.9° | 45° | Pisces | 16:28 | 22:31 | 04:38 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Visible Low | 1.0 | 23.8° | 283° | Cancer | 00:38 | 07:01 | 13:24 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Optimal Visibility | 0.4 | 48.0° | 150° | Libra | 07:26 | 13:02 | 18:39 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -38.5° | 315° | Taurus | 19:35 | 02:06 | 08:32 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -61.3° | 59° | Pisces | 16:00 | 22:01 | 04:06 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES15:48
BEST TIME22:02S · 79° high
SETS03:28
Reaches about 79° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:18
BEST TIME07:36S · 89° high
SETS13:54
Reaches about 89° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:28
BEST TIME22:31S · 76° high
SETS04:38
Reaches about 76° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES05:58
BEST TIME11:38S · 56° high
SETS17:18
Reaches about 56° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:38
BEST TIME07:01N · 88° high
SETS13:24
Reaches about 88° 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.
