Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+60.3°
11:19:49
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 56m of true darkness · 12h 22m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:46
Civil Dusk18:08
Nautical18:33
Full Dark18:58
Nadir23:56
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-62.2°
DISTANCE380,125 km
Moonrise16:00
Moonset03:39
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 | 54.5° | 168° | Libra | 06:11 | 11:49 | 17:28 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Optimal Visibility | -2.0 | 38.9° | 275° | Leo | 01:28 | 07:47 | 14:06 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -69.7° | 27° | Pisces | 16:39 | 22:42 | 04:49 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Optimal Visibility | 1.0 | 31.4° | 281° | Cancer | 00:48 | 07:13 | 13:37 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Optimal Visibility | 0.4 | 43.0° | 142° | Libra | 07:38 | 13:14 | 18:49 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -32.2° | 310° | Taurus | 19:45 | 02:17 | 08:45 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -66.9° | 46° | Pisces | 16:11 | 22:12 | 04:17 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:00
BEST TIME22:14S · 78° high
SETS03:39
Reaches about 78° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:28
BEST TIME07:47S · 88° high
SETS14:06
Reaches about 88° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:39
BEST TIME22:42S · 75° high
SETS04:49
Reaches about 75° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES06:11
BEST TIME11:49S · 55° high
SETS17:28
Reaches about 55° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:48
BEST TIME07:13N · 89° high
SETS13:37
Reaches about 89° 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.
