Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+57.9°
12:46:27
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 57m of true darkness · 12h 24m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:44
Civil Dusk18:06
Nautical18:31
Full Dark18:57
Nadir23:55
Dark Ends04:54
Nautical05:20
Civil Dawn05:45
Sunrise06:07
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE-43.9°
DISTANCE379,801 km
Moonrise15:58
Moonset03:38
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 | 51.3° | 202° | Libra | 06:12 | 11:48 | 17:25 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Visible Low | -2.0 | 18.3° | 280° | Leo | 01:25 | 07:46 | 14:07 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -53.7° | 61° | Pisces | 16:38 | 22:41 | 04:48 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Visible Low | 1.0 | 11.3° | 285° | Cancer | 00:44 | 07:12 | 13:38 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Optimal Visibility | 0.4 | 50.5° | 170° | Libra | 07:40 | 13:13 | 18:46 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -45.1° | 330° | Taurus | 19:42 | 02:16 | 08:46 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -48.2° | 69° | Pisces | 16:10 | 22:11 | 04:16 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES15:58
BEST TIME22:13S · 76° high
SETS03:38
Reaches about 76° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:25
BEST TIME07:46S · 86° high
SETS14:07
Reaches about 86° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:38
BEST TIME22:41S · 73° high
SETS04:48
Reaches about 73° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES06:12
BEST TIME11:48S · 54° high
SETS17:25
Reaches about 54° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:44
BEST TIME07:12S · 90° high
SETS13:38
Reaches about 90° 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.
