Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+57.4°
12:57:01
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 55m of true darkness · 12h 19m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:34
Civil Dusk17:56
Nautical18:21
Full Dark18:46
Nadir23:44
Dark Ends04:41
Nautical05:06
Civil Dawn05:32
Sunrise05:53
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE-39.7°
DISTANCE379,761 km
Moonrise15:47
Moonset03:26
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 | 51.1° | 211° | Libra | 05:56 | 11:37 | 17:17 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Visible Low | -2.0 | 12.6° | 282° | Leo | 01:17 | 07:35 | 13:52 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -49.9° | 68° | Pisces | 16:26 | 22:29 | 04:36 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Rising / Setting | 1.0 | 5.6° | 287° | Cancer | 00:36 | 07:00 | 13:23 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Optimal Visibility | 0.4 | 53.5° | 178° | Libra | 07:24 | 13:01 | 18:38 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -49.7° | 336° | Taurus | 19:35 | 02:05 | 08:31 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -43.8° | 75° | Pisces | 15:59 | 22:00 | 04:05 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES15:47
BEST TIME22:01S · 79° high
SETS03:26
Reaches about 79° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:17
BEST TIME07:35S · 89° high
SETS13:52
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
RISES16:26
BEST TIME22:29S · 76° high
SETS04:36
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
RISES05:56
BEST TIME11:37S · 57° high
SETS17:17
Reaches about 57° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:36
BEST TIME07:00N · 88° high
SETS13:23
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.
