Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+56.8°
13:10:29
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 59m of true darkness · 12h 27m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:15
Civil Dusk18:37
Nautical19:03
Full Dark19:29
Nadir00:29
Dark Ends05:28
Nautical05:54
Civil Dawn06:20
Sunrise06:42
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE-45.2°
DISTANCE379,711 km
Moonrise16:32
Moonset04:13
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 | 50.2° | 198° | Libra | 06:48 | 12:21 | 17:56 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Visible Low | -2.0 | 20.8° | 278° | Leo | 01:56 | 08:19 | 14:42 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -54.6° | 56° | Pisces | 17:11 | 23:14 | 05:22 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Visible Low | 1.0 | 13.9° | 284° | Cancer | 01:16 | 07:45 | 14:14 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Optimal Visibility | 0.4 | 48.2° | 167° | Libra | 08:16 | 13:46 | 19:16 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -42.2° | 328° | Taurus | 20:12 | 02:49 | 09:23 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -49.4° | 65° | Pisces | 16:44 | 22:45 | 04:49 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:32
BEST TIME22:48S · 75° high
SETS04:13
Reaches about 75° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:56
BEST TIME08:19S · 84° high
SETS14:42
Reaches about 84° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:11
BEST TIME23:14S · 71° high
SETS05:22
Reaches about 71° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES06:48
BEST TIME12:21S · 52° high
SETS17:56
Reaches about 52° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:16
BEST TIME07:45S · 88° high
SETS14:14
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.
