Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+58.7°
12:29:01
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
Sunset18:17
Civil Dusk18:39
Nautical19:05
Full Dark19:31
Nadir00:31
Dark Ends05:30
Nautical05:56
Civil Dawn06:22
Sunrise06:44
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE-54.0°
DISTANCE379,866 km
Moonrise16:34
Moonset04:15
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 | 52.3° | 182° | Libra | 06:49 | 12:23 | 17:58 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Optimal Visibility | -2.0 | 30.9° | 275° | Leo | 01:59 | 08:21 | 14:44 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -62.5° | 41° | Pisces | 17:13 | 23:16 | 05:24 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Visible Low | 1.0 | 23.8° | 281° | Cancer | 01:18 | 07:47 | 14:16 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Optimal Visibility | 0.4 | 44.9° | 153° | Libra | 08:18 | 13:48 | 19:18 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -36.2° | 318° | Taurus | 20:14 | 02:51 | 09:24 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -58.5° | 55° | Pisces | 16:46 | 22:46 | 04:51 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:34
BEST TIME22:50S · 75° high
SETS04:15
Reaches about 75° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:59
BEST TIME08:21S · 85° high
SETS14:44
Reaches about 85° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:13
BEST TIME23:16S · 72° high
SETS05:24
Reaches about 72° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES06:49
BEST TIME12:23S · 52° high
SETS17:58
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
RISES01:18
BEST TIME07:47S · 88° high
SETS14:16
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.
